Welcome to my Portage e-newsletter! Enjoy! 

This July, in fact this summer, has presented us with weather I associate with Northern Michigan and Ontario at its best. Daytime temps have been mostly in the upper 60's to upper 70. Evenings and nights bring perfect sleeping temperatures of mid-40's to mid-50's. I've been able to be active instead of sluggish during the day and sleep well each night. BIG, BIG Thanks! 

While family obligations keep me closer to home than I would like, I've been able to escape twice this summer on fishing adventures. And to add to the great summer temperatures, this has been a notable fishing year. The catches have been more plentiful and bigger than I've seen in several years. 

My intention for this newsletter, if anything, is simply to present the musings of a wandering woman.  Take what works for you. Discard what does not. I won't mind a bit. 

"The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium."  ~Norbet Platt

A favor, please? I appreciate your help growing this e-newsletter. If you find value in my writing, please forward this broadcast to folks you know and ask them to subscribe.

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Cut It Out!

Even though my life is really very simple, I've been thinking again about simplifying, oh, just a little bit more. Yes, AGAIN!  I have no debt. I coach through the 3rd Wednesday of each month and then I play through the 4th and occasional 5th week of each month. I live in the woods, where I'm up early enjoying a cup of coffee in the backyard while listening to the creek and the neighbors, all four-legged except the birds. My exercise routine is on my living room floor and the trails through the woods around my home, not at a gym. I eat simply, enjoying what I harvest as much as possible. If you were to invade my freezer right now, you'd find wild huckleberries, moose, wild raspberries, walleye, northern pike, morel mushrooms, chives, rhubarb, jumbo perch, caribou, lake trout, and venison. When I head out on holiday, I leave phone and computer behind. In fact, I leave electricity behind. In fact, I often leave the car behind, in exchange for boat or canoe.

In my 20’s everything I owned was harvested from the earth or the lakes and streams, uncovered at the Goodwill store, a yard sale, or my Mother's basement. In my 30’s or 40’s, I had the money and the urge to collect my own, brand new stuff. In my early 50’s all that stuff, especially the “brand new” stuff, started to wear out and I had no desire to replace it. Now, as I move in to the last half of my 50’s, it intrigues me that just a short time ago I saw every item and activity I'm about to oust as a necessity. 

I've learned that the art of simplifying has two steps. 

First, we must pitch those things that no longer serve us. It may be an item in our home, it may be an activity we do for shallow reasons, or it could even be a person in our life who at the worst drains us and at the best takes up our time. I will not tell you this is always easy. I will tell you that you already know what needs to go. Admit it. 

Next, we must take what's left, those things that we love and enrich our life, and make them less complex. This is the fun part for me. I enjoy taking something important and meaningful to me, analyze it in order to understand the elements that really energize me, and then cut out all the fluff. 

“Your Lifestyle should enhance your life, rather than spending your life enhancing your lifestyle.” ~Coach Thomas Leonard

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My Isotonix Product Line...

...of antioxidant and vitamin supplements is the best! Isotonic simply means that these products are delivered to your small intestine, where they are absorbed, in 10 to 15 minutes. This superior delivery system gives your body the opportunity to absorb and use a very high percentage of each supplement and saves you money. 

I've been using these products for over four years and my health has never been better. I truly feel the energy. You can even design your own Custom Cocktail.

Visit my Market America webportal and check out OPC-3 and the numerous other Isotonix supplements. Confused? Take the free Nutriphysical (lower left-hand corner).

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A Simplifying Resource for You
This one is for my friend, Ginny, who recently expressed her amazement about how people are so attached to their cell phones. Her latest observation was of people on vacation, walking the beach while talking on their cells. 

If you have a distaste for cell phone but find them a necessity in your life, as I do at this point in my life, here's one very simple solution. I just signed up for cell service at Consumer Cellular. Low rates, no contracts, and simple phones at good prices. And here's the best part...My phone came with this mantra:
I will use my phone only when necessary.
I will look at the world instead of tiny buttons.
I will call for directions before starting the car.
I will turn off my phone during the previews.
I will not subject other subway passengers to conversations about lint.
I will not fall into a manhole because I'm walking and talking.
I will not use my phone in public bathrooms. Ew.
I will spend in-person minutes with my friends and family.

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Where You Can Find Me

Here's how you can find me:
My Portage website is, well, Portage. You'll find more about me and coaching there. 
You can read this article and more at either one of my Portage Blogs right Here and Here. Stop by and comment.
On Facebook, you'll find I'm just plain Deb Martin. Feel free to add me.
On Twitter, I'm Deborah Martin. Although, admittedly I don't totally "get" Twitter. For me, less is more when it comes to Twitter.
On Ryze, you can find me hanging out as debcoach.
And on one of my favorite sites, Squidoo, I'm right Here. I've got lenses related to these articles and more.
You'll find my Market America business and products at My MA Webportal. Just let me know if you are interested in knowing more about products and/or the business.
If you want to do a little fishing with me, you can find out more at Cameron Lake Fishing Lodges, Inc.
And finally, my email addresses are deb@portagecoach.com, deb@deborahmartin.com and deb@cameronlakefishinglodges.com.  Feel free to use them.

Again, thanks for letting me bop into your inbox once in awhile.

Blue Sky and Sunshine, My Friends!

Peace and Much Love
Deb
 

The Fine Print
A Note About My Recommendations
I provide links in this newsletter to products and services I am offering or I have personally found valuable. If you are ever disappointed with one of these recommendations, please let them and me know. If they don't make it right, I will.

You can subscribe to this newsletter by visiting the subscription box on my home page at www.portagecoach.com

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Portage is published 12 times a year and distributed monthly by e-mail. Comments, submissions and suggestions are welcome. Please forward any or all of this newsletter to those you know will appreciate it and encourage them to subscribe for themselves.

Although this material is subject to copyright, you may reprint this publication, in whole or in part, in your company publication, in training, presentations, or wherever you feel it would be of benefit. This also holds true for members of the media. All I ask is that you include the following: Reprinted with permission from Deborah Martin of Portage at http://www.portagecoach.com

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Copyright (c)  2009 by Deborah Martin. All rights reserved.