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Protein Breakfast Muffins – Isagenix Recipe

Protein Breakfast Muffins

Start the Day Right with These Protein-Packed Muffins!

Who said breakfast had to be the same every day? These delicious muffins are a great way to start the day. Plus, make some extras and you’ll have an ideal mid-afternoon snack!

Ingredients:

    • 2 eggs
    • 2 mashed bananas
    • 2 tbsp chia seeds
    • 1 tbsp cinnamon
    • 1 packet of French Vanilla IsaLean Pro
    • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
    • 2 tbsp peanut butter
    • 1 handful of crushed almonds
    • 3 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 cup of coconut flour or whole wheat flour
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/2 sliced apple
    • Sprinkle of granola

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
  2. Mix ingredients in a large bowl until well combined
  3. Pour batter into muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sliced apple pieces and a sprinkle of granola
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes

Source: isatonic.com.au ~ Image: isatonic.com.au

 

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The Benefits Of Mentoring For The Mentor

Benefits Of Mentoring For The Mentor

We define mentoring relationships as mutually rewarding, voluntary relationships that can be entered into by almost anyone. We differentiate between mentoring and professional coaching — where the coach might be paid, and mentors give of their time.

In our experience there is no shortage of enthusiastic, qualified mentors out there, and many of the not-for-profits, professional associations, and incubators we speak to report being over-subscribed with mentors.

But it’s easy to see what the mentee gets out of such a relationship — to them the mentor becomes a sounding board, confidant, advisor, and cheer squad! What might not be as apparent is what drives busy professionals to donate their time in these relationships — and we often get asked “What are the benefits of mentoring for the mentor?”

What Does It Mean to Be a Mentor?

Mentoring is a mutually beneficial relationship between two people: a mentor and a mentee. The mentor is often someone who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in an area that the mentee is interested in or curious about. The mentor guides and supports the mentees as they navigate their journey of learning or discovering something new. Mentees can be of any age, but they typically look up to the mentor as an authority figure who can help them gain insight and wisdom in their chosen field. The mentor-mentee relationship is often built over time through trust and respect.

Mentoring can take many forms, from one-on-one conversations to group activities. It can be formal or informal, and it can be done in person or online. The key to successful mentoring is finding the right mentor-mentee match. The mentor should be someone who is knowledgeable and experienced in the area the mentee is interested in, and the mentee should be someone who is eager to learn and willing to take the initiative to ask questions and seek out advice. With the right match, mentoring can be a powerful tool for personal and professional growth.

Finding the Right Mentee

When it comes to becoming a mentor, one of the most important things to do is to carefully select a mentee who is willing and eager to learn. It’s important to find someone who is passionate about the subject matter that you are mentoring them in, as this will make the process more successful. Additionally, it is important to ensure that your mentee has an open mind and is willing to take constructive criticism from you. It is also important to ensure that the mentee understands the boundaries of the relationship. This will help them understand what is expected from them as a mentee.

It is also important to ensure that the mentee is committed to the process. This means that they should be willing to put in the necessary time and effort to learn and grow. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the mentee is willing to take risks and try new things. This will help them to develop their skills and knowledge in the subject matter. Finally, it is important to ensure that the mentee is open to feedback and is willing to take the time to reflect on their progress.

Building a Positive Relationship

The relationship between a mentor and a mentee should be based on trust and respect. The mentor should be there to listen to the mentee’s ideas and provide guidance on how to reach their goals. At the same time, the mentor should also be willing to learn from the mentee. This mutual respect and collaboration can foster an effective and meaningful relationship between the two.

It is important for both the mentor and mentee to be open and honest with each other. This will help to create a safe and comfortable environment for both parties to share their thoughts and feelings. Additionally, it is important to set clear expectations and boundaries for the relationship. This will help to ensure that both parties are on the same page and that the relationship is mutually beneficial.

The Benefit of Mentoring: Being a Mentor

Becoming a mentor offers many advantages. Not only can it help build self-esteem, but it also allows mentors to gain experience in leadership and communication. By helping others reach their goals, mentors can also build meaningful relationships with their mentees. Additionally, being a mentor provides an opportunity for mentors to enhance their professional networking opportunities.

Keeping Your Hand In

Mentoring keeps you in touch with your industry, even if you’ve departed. As a senior professional, you might be winding down your formal career, by mentoring the up-and-comers you can keep your hand in and maybe even maintain a voice in the industry.

Mentoring can also ensure that the industry is in “safe hands” for the future — selecting and mentoring future leaders leaves a strong legacy and plays an essential part in stable succession planning.

Altruism Is Its Own Reward

There’s no doubt about it — helping others makes you feel good. And what better way to help others than by giving back to the community and industry that has supported your own career?

Mentoring not only provides an opportunity to give back but also to gain the satisfaction of sharing your experience by helping like-minded professionals with advice that you wish you’d had early on in your career.

Reverse Mentoring

This isn’t a one-way street — you may also have something to learn from your mentee. While you’re imparting tips on stakeholder management they may be introducing you to better online collaboration tools.

Mentoring helps you hone your social and communication skills, and while you impart your experience you may benefit from their enthusiasm. In addition to this, reverse mentoring has a wealth of benefits that can improve empathy between mentoring partners and overall across organizations – such as cutting through held biases, improving understanding between cultures, and ensuring inter-generational workforces operate smoothly.

Developing Leadership and Communication Skills

Being a mentor requires strong leadership and communication skills. To be successful at mentoring, mentors need to be able to effectively communicate with their mentees so that they understand the goals of the relationship and feel supported throughout their journey. Additionally, mentors need to demonstrate leadership skills in order to effectively guide their mentees along the way. Through these skills, mentors can become better leaders in other areas of their lives.

Creating Lasting Impact

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a mentor is that it allows you to have a lasting impact on someone else’s life. By helping someone reach their goals, you are empowering and inspiring them to reach their full potential. Doing so can have ripple effects that reach far beyond just oneself – by helping one person, you can potentially help many more.

Build a Stronger, More Diverse Professional Network

Mentoring builds stronger networks by connecting you with individuals beyond your peers, exposing you to a more diverse cross-section of your industry and beyond. This diversity brings new perspectives to the fore to enrich your personal and professional points of view.

It’s not just about the connection with the mentee — involvement in a mentoring program can also open opportunities to connect with other leaders — also mentors — to share your experience of what makes a great mentor-mentee relationship.

A great mentoring relationship rewards both the mentee and mentor, as well as providing benefits to their employers and organizations, and potentially the industry as a whole.

In Mentoring, Learning Goes Both Ways

A common misperception about mentoring is that the mentor imparts hard-won “secrets” to the chosen mentee in a mostly one-way interaction. This approach, however, is erroneous and ignores what the mentee adds to the mentoring relationship.

Mentors and mentees may have diverse areas of expertise. For example, if the mentee is still in their early career, the knowledge they acquired is more current than the mentor’s schooling from decades ago. Mentees may also be more digitally adept and can assist mentees in expanding their awareness of cutting-edge technology.

Mentees are often astonished by how much they have to offer their mentors. In most successful mentoring partnerships, learning occurs in both directions.

Reaping the Benefits of Mentoring: Tips for Being an Effective Mentor

When it comes to being an effective mentor, there are several tips that can help you succeed. First and foremost, it is essential that you be open, actively listen, and seek to understand your mentee’s needs before offering advice or guidance. Additionally, it is important to provide consistent feedback that is both constructive and encouraging. Of course, you’ll gain more out of mentoring if you remain open-minded when it comes to new ideas or perspectives.

Challenges of Being a Mentor

Being a mentor does come with some challenges, including managing expectations and setting boundaries. It is important for both parties to set realistic expectations for what can be accomplished in the allotted time frame. Additionally, it is important for mentors to set boundaries with their mentees in order to protect their own time and energy. Lastly, navigating the power dynamic between a mentor and a mentee can be tricky at times and require active communication.

Source: mentorloop.com ~ By Heidi Holmes ~ Image: Canva Pro

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The Top 3 Reasons Why Mentorship is Crucial to Your Success

Mentorship is Crucial to Your Success

There is a saying that “experience is the best teacher”. This saying is often abused by people who do not understand the importance of mentorship. There is no part of that saying that states that you must learn from your own experience. Who says you cannot learn from the experience of other people?

Learning from other people’s experiences could save you a lot. One of such is experiencing setbacks or failures on a consistent basis. It will also help you scale growth. You will be opportune to get things right on your first attempt without having to take the “trial and error” route.

There are various ways to learn from other people’s experiences. People simply hear stories of how someone else succeeded or failed and learn from them. You can either avoid things that made them fail or embrace what made them succeed. However, there is a method that is proven to help you succeed. It is known as “mentorship:”. Unlike the self-taught method, mentorship involves a direct coaching and guidance method.

To understand how mentorship is crucial to success, you need to understand mentorship itself. Let’s start by looking at what mentorship entails.

What is Mentorship?

Mentorship is a guidance-based relationship between two or more people. It involves a more experienced or advanced individual guiding a less experienced or junior individual. The purpose of mentorship is to share knowledge, experience, and connection over a period of time. The more experienced individual who is the “mentor” provides the necessary guidance to the junior individual who is the “mentee”. Mentorship may include educational or professional guidance.

For the purpose of clarity, here are the components of mentorship:

    • Mentor – an experienced individual who is a specialist in an industry or sector.
    • Mentee – a less experienced individual seeking to take on the industry or sector.
    • Guidance – connections, knowledge, or connection that the mentor provides the mentee in a mentorship program.

Types of Mentors

With knowledge of the meaning of mentor, let’s get a better understanding of mentorship by looking at the different types of mentors. Knowing the types of mentors will also help guide mentees on how to use mentorship to their advantage and increase their chances of succeeding. Without much ado, here are the different types of mentors as well as the roles they play in mentorship programs.

Coach

A coach is arguably the oldest type of mentor. Parents are great examples of coaches. Good coaches encourage mentees, listen to them, and help them provide solutions to certain problems. Unlike your parents, however, your mentorship coach should be someone whose expertise covers your career, education, or the area with which you will require mentorship.

Connector or Broker

There is a saying that “success happens when opportunity meets preparation”. This implies that opportunity is important for success. Even if you are prepared, you may likely not succeed if you do not get the right opportunity. In this regard, a connector or a broker is very important for your mentorship. Connectors or brokers are individuals who have large networks of people and derive joy from connecting people together.

Brokers are very important for mentees as they can help link mentees with people who need their products, and services, as well as help mentees, scale their careers. One important thing to note is that brokers or connectors do not request payment to connect people. They genuinely desire to connect people together. This is probably why they have a large network.

Clarifier

Oftentimes, mentees can get confused about certain issues. This could be due to their inexperience or inadequacy in knowledge or expertise. With the help of a clarifier, Mentees can benefit greatly from a clarifier. A clarifier uses the laissez-faire approach to mentorship. Mentees act independently and in their desired direction. They only need to consult a clarifier to help them fill in gaps whenever they are confused or lack direction.

A clarifier seems very similar to a coach. Unlike a coach, however, a clarifier hardly influences the direction of mentees. They mostly provide tips like how to act in a meeting or during an interview.

Cheerleader

There is a saying that goes “celebrate your little wins, for they show you how far you have come”. Well, nothing makes a celebration even better than someone better than having someone join you in celebrating. This is why every mentee needs a cheerleader. A cheerleader is not exactly a professional per se. A cheerleader is often someone who is always there to celebrate your achievements with you.

This may not seem much, but it actually works. A study shows that more than 50% of people are eager to achieve more when people celebrate their achievements with them.

Challenger

While it is good to achieve, it is more important to not become too comfortable after an achievement. There have been multiple cases of individuals who become too laid back after achieving “some” level of success. Despite not being able to achieve their long-term goals, some individuals may become too comfortable with their situation and no longer strive to achieve more. This is where a challenger comes in.

A challenger literally jolts a mentee to do more. This involves working with the long-term and short-term goals laid out with the help of a mentee. With these goals in hand, the challenges encourage the mentee to keep pushing to accomplish the set goals.

Developer

The developer is quite similar to the challenger. However, the major difference is that the developer challenges the mentee to improve himself or herself. While the challenger works towards achieving goals, the developer leans towards becoming a better person and a better professional. They can provide the mentee with books on personal development or how to develop the right values. Developers are often human resource or human capital development experts. They understand how to groom people to become leaders by empowering mentees with the necessary skills to enable mentees to solve their problems independently.

Protector

While it is important to have a mentor who will help you as a mentee inculcate healthy professional habits, it should not stop there. Mentees also need protection or protectors. Protectors are mentors who guide mentees against making mistakes that will be detrimental to the growth of their careers. A protector also acts as a safety net to ensure that mentees do not have to learn from costly experiences. Protectors are often industry experts who understand the regulations of a sector.

Different Types of Mentorship

types of mentorship

Okay, this is where things can start looking confusing. To ensure clarity, refer to the three components outlined earlier in this article. There are different types of mentors as well as different types of mentorship programs. The different types of mentors can participate in the different types of mentorship programs. For a better under, let’s consider the different types of mentorship programs.

One-on-one Mentorship

This is arguably the oldest form of mentorship. Little wonder why experts call it “traditional mentorship”. In this form of mentoring, the mentee and mentor are matched to each other to work together on a “one-on-one basis”. This matching can either be done through a mentoring program, referral from a third party, or any other method. However, the major takeaway is that the two of them are the only people involved in the mentoring process. The mentoring process is mostly decided by the progress made by the mentee.

Group Mentorship

Unlike one-on-one mentorship, group mentorship often involves more than one mentee. In other words, two or more mentees can be attached to a mentor for guidance. Group mentorship is often a result of mentorship programs. However, there have also been cases of referrals leading to group mentorship. In the case of group mentorship, the progress of the group is often determined by the mentor. This is hardly a problem, considering that the mentor considers the progress of his mentees.

Distance Mentorship

Distance mentorship is not exactly new. However, it is not a very old form of mentorship. In times past, distance mentorship often involves the mentee traveling or relocating to the location of the mentor. Thanks to the help of technology, however, mentees no longer have to travel for distance mentorship. Distance mentorship is now called “Virtual Mentorship”. Mentors can connect with their mentees with technological devices like a phone, computers, etc.

Reverse or Team Mentorship

Team mentorship is also another form of mentorship that is relatively new. It can be considered as the reverse of group mentorship. Instead of one mentor working with two or more mentees, it will be a team of mentors working towards ensuring the success of just one mentee. It often involves the combined efforts of the different types of mentors mentioned earlier to ensure team mentorship.

Another thing to consider is that mentorship is broken into two broad types. This includes “formal and informal” mentorship. All the types of mentorship stated above could be either formal or informal in nature. Below are the differences between formal and informal leadership.

    • Formal mentorship – has a laid down structure and is organized by people who have the required knowledge and expertise.
    • Informal mentorship – does not have a laid-down structure. It is organized by people who have goodwill, with often little or no expertise.

For the record, no type of mentorship is actually better than the other. The various types of mentorship all have their pros and cons. The only way to make the most of any mentorship program is to work with the approach that suits you the most.

What to Consider When Choosing a Mentorship Program

A study shows that 97% of young professionals say they are valuable, yet only 37% of them have a mentor. This shows that something is wrong with people’s attitudes to mentorship. Many of them do not understand how to apply particularly to them. Some of them do not know that there are mentors who are non-directional or uninfluential in nature. They do not know about connectors or clarifiers.

Before engaging in a mentorship program or getting a mentor, there are certain things to consider. The extent to which you consider these things will determine if the mentorship will help you succeed. Without proper consultation of these factors, the chances of making the most of the mentorship are very slim. Below are some of the things you should consider when choosing a mentorship program.

Purpose of Mentorship

The first question you as a mentee should ask yourself is “Why do I want to partake in this program?” Answering this question is the first step towards ensuring the success of your mentorship program. Some mentorship programs are limited to a period of time while others continue for literally a lifetime. Understanding the purpose of the mentorship program will also help you identify the other issues mentioned below.

Value Proposition of Intended Mentors

With a proper understanding of the purpose of the mentorship program, next is the value proposition of the intended mentors. What are the values your intended mentors will be bringing to mentoring you? It is important to remember that the value proposition of a mentor defines the role they will be playing in mentoring you. A connector is bringing the value proposition of networking, while the coach will be advising you.

After considering their value proposition, match it against the level you have attained in your career. If their value proposition does not fit into the level of your career, then it is best you do not partake in that particular mentorship program.

Knowledge and Expertise of Mentors

Besides the value proposition of your mentors, you should consider their knowledge and expertise. Certain types of mentorship require experts and specialists, while others simply require regular individuals with a network, goodwill, or a love for helping people. Every factor should be matched against the stage of your career as a mentee. If you are just starting out, a directional and influential mentorship should suit you better.

The Stage of the Mentee’s Career

Let’s just say that I saved the best for last. The stage at which you are as a mentee should be the deciding factor for every other thing stated earlier. This is because the stage where you are in your career decides which form of mentorship works well for you. There are certain stages of your career where you need a mentor to spoon-feed you. At this stage, the mentee is still growing. If you are in the latter stages of your career, you need more clarification and networking.

Reasons Why Mentorship is Crucial to Your Success

stats about mentorship

Statistics show that 89% of individuals who have been mentored go on to mentor others. This shows how important mentorship is very important for success. Talking of success, 89% of mentees end up becoming mentors of other mentees. In other words, at least 89% of people who had mentors become successful later in life. If you are still in doubt, below are some reasons why mentorship is crucial to your success.

Increases Chances of Scaling Educational and/or Vocational Growth

One thing that a mentor helps to ensure your success is by helping you scale growth. As you work with your mentor, they study you and understand your strengths and weaknesses. With knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses, your mentors help you improve yourself and scale growth. Although you may have been able to grow without the help of a mentor, it will not be at a fast pace. Mentorship is crucial to your success as it helps you scale your personal and professional growth. Mentors like coaches, challengers, clarifiers, and developers will help you grow at an astonishing pace.

Adequate Provision of Support

One of the advantages of mentorship is that you will not feel like you are on your own. Mentors like cheerleaders will always be there to support and encourage you when you win. You will also have developers and challengers who will always be there to provide you with the necessary support and challenges. Their impact will always be there to spur you on and give you that much-needed sense of communion. Research shows that most people are more likely to continue a difficult process if they are working with others than if they are working alone.

Better Professional Network

Remember the saying that “success happens when opportunity meets preparation”? Well, that saying comes into play in mentorship. Mentors like connectors or brokers will help you connect to the people who require your products, and services or can help you scale your growth. With the help of the right mentors, you can build your own network. After a broker connects you to a professional who needs your service or product, you have the opportunity to scale growth.

You will win the people whom your mentor refers to you over when you perform adequately. Keep up with maintaining your good reputation and you will be able to build your own network in no time. If you already have your own network, your mentor can help you broaden it. Who says that having a bigger network is bad? Besides, you can always become a mentor and help a mentee grow their network by bringing them into your network.

Mentorship is crucial to your success. You can effectively use mentorship if you consider the factors stated in this article. More importantly, the factors stated in this article will also help guide you

Professional Leadership Institute (PLI) is an educational website providing professionals from all types of businesses with practical education in human resources and leadership.

Source: professionalleadershipinstitute.com ~ Image: Canva Pro

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Chicken Drumsticks, Veggies and Walnuts

Chicken Drumsticks, Veggies and Walnuts

Looking for ideas for a 400 – to 600-calorie lunch or dinner that completes a typical system? Here is a great suggestion…

Remember, a typical 400- to 600-calorie meal should fulfill the correct food groups and portion sizes.

Ingredients:

    • 2-3 chicken drumsticks/legs
    • Olive oil
    • Sea salt
    • Pepper
    • Lemon juice
    • Oregano
    • Choice of vegetables (steamed broccoli, yellow or orange bell peppers)
    • ⅓-½ cup walnuts

Directions:

1. Coat chicken with olive oil, and place on baking sheet. Bake in oven until skin is crispy.
2. Mix lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano to taste. Steam vegetables, and top with lemon juice mixture.
3. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with walnuts, and enjoy!

Submitted by Ryan E., 2015 IsaBody Challenge Finalist

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Share Your Skills With Interested People Online

Share Your Skills Online

Do you have a skill that you think other people would be interested in learning? Maybe you know how to knit, or you’re an expert at making homemade soap. The internet has given people from all walks of life the ability to share their skills with the world. If you have a skill you would like to share, there are many ways to do so online. This blog post will discuss some of the best ways to share your skills with interested people on the internet. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Create an online course

If you want to share your skills with the world in a more formal setting, you can create an online course. Many platforms allow you to do this, such as Udemy, Thinkific, and Skillshare. As highlighted in these Thinkific reviews, each platform has its own set of features, so it’s essential to choose the right one for you. You need to check on your needs, like the number of students, type of courses, and your budget.

To have an online course development, you will need to determine what your course will be about and create an outline for each lesson. Once your course outline is created, you can start filming your lessons. You can either film yourself giving a lecture-style lesson or create a screencast of you completing a task related to your course topic. Once you have all of your lessons filmed, you will need to upload them to your chosen platform and set up your course.

Start a blog

If you don’t want to create an entire course but still want to share your skills with interested people, you can start a blog. A blog is a great way to share your knowledge on a specific topic, and it’s also a great way to build up a following of interested people.

When starting a blog, it’s essential to choose a catchy name and create branding to make your blog recognizable. You should also choose a platform to host your blog on, such as WordPress, Blogger, or Tumblr. Once you have your blog set up, you can start writing posts about the topics you want to share with your readers. Ensure that you promote your blog through social media and other channels to get the word out.

Make tutorial videos

Another great way to share your skills with the world is to make tutorial videos. These can be videos of you completing a task related to your skill or more general videos explaining how to do something. You can upload your tutorial videos to YouTube and then share them on social media or on your blog. You can also create a paid course on a platform like Udemy or Skillshare if you have a large following.

When creating these videos, it’s essential to ensure that they are high quality and well-edited. You should also create a catchy thumbnail image for each video, which will help draw people in. Finally, be sure to add descriptive tags and titles to your videos so that people can easily find them.

Share your skills on social media

Social media has come a long way in recent years, and it’s now a great place to share your skills with interested people. You can use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to share tips, tricks, and advice related to your skill. You can also use social media to promote your blog or videos if you have them.

When sharing your skills on social media, it’s essential to use hashtags and tag other relevant accounts. This will help to ensure that interested people see your content. For instance, if you’re sharing tips on gardening, you could use the hashtag #gardeningtips. You should also post your content when it is likely to be seen by most people.

Start a webinar

If you want to share your skills with a larger group of people, you can start a webinar. A webinar is an online seminar that allows you to share your knowledge with interested people worldwide. You can use platforms like Zoom or GoToWebinar to host your webinar.

When planning your webinar, it’s essential to choose a topic that will interest your audience. It would be best if you also promote your webinar through social media and other channels. Be sure to send out reminders to people who have registered for your webinar, as this will help to ensure that they attend. Ensure that you have a great introduction and conclusion for your webinar, as this will help make it memorable for your attendees.

Share your skills in a podcast

Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular, and they’re a great way to share your skills with interested people. You can start your podcast or be a guest on someone else’s show.

Starting a podcast is not as complicated as it may seem. All you need is a microphone and some basic editing software. You can then record your episodes and upload them to a platform like iTunes or SoundCloud. When recording your podcast, it’s essential to make sure that you are clear and concise. You should also try to be entertaining, as this will help to keep people listening. Finally, be sure to edit your episodes to be high quality.

As you can see, there are many different ways to share your skills with the world. Choose the method that best suits your personality and skill set. Whichever way you choose, be sure to promote your content so that people can find it. And most importantly, have fun.

Source:  forcreativegirls.com ~ Image: Canva Pro

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