Showing posts with label coach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coach. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Moving

IceWraps.net

Good morning Webbers,

You might be wondering why the different blog address. I have moved away from Aion as it is going to be a product and I am going to do business as Tim Thomas. I am finishing up my current courses and I feel ready to share the information I have learned. I am working on the site www.2-help-u.com to be a resource site for any and all who want to pursue personal development. It will still be a few months till it is complete. I am adding more and more products and resources to it.

I currently have openings for clients. If you know anyone that is having a problem or challenge have them get in touch with me. My first session is always free. It lets me see if we are a good fit. I am available to meet one on one, by phone or over the internet (email, skype, and others). I also work with small business in the challenges they have and customer service.


Click Here to Visit YourSuccessStore.com!


Today's exercise that I would like to share:

WHEEL OF LIFE

Get the form here in PDF

We are very busy in our life and sometimes if we use a chart we can see where we are off in our life and can right the ship or the wheel. Have you ever tried to drive on a flat tire. What about a square. We use the wheel of life chart to gauge where we are in the areas that are important to us. As much as we try to separate things such as work and our personal life we find these two subjects intertwine with each other. They also play off each other and have influence.

We are going to break your life down into 8 parts. Feel free to change the names if you have something you would rather call it.

Life Parts:

Family / Relationships
Career / Work
Health / Fitness
Personal Growth
Money / Finances
Physical Environment
Fun / Joy
Romance

Now indicate using the scale 1-10 where you feel you are in life / work. One being low and 10 being the highest. (Notes are on the sheet to.)

What shape is your wheel? Would this wheel give you a smooth ride in life or a rough one?

Webbers Let me know if you need help with this or want to explore more of what coaching can do for you.

Have a great day Webbers

I am your coach Tim Thomas and I am here 2-help-u.

THANK YOU!

The finest compliment I could ever receive is a referral from my friends and clients.

Live Life by Design.

Tim Thomas
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
http://thomatf.tumblr.com/




Monday, August 18, 2014

Get Moving!

BHI Banner

Hi Webbers,
I hope all is well on this Monday evening. As I settle down with an evening cup of Joe and reflect on the day. I stayed up way to late last night. Sometimes I get so intrigued with a movie I will let the time just roll on by. Last night was the last Harry potter film. I enjoyed watching it as my daughter drifted off to sleep. Finishing after 1 AM left me depleted this morning.

MMA Overload

I continue to chisel away at my business. I have made more changes and have developed to just work under my name Coach Tim Thomas. I am working on my core program that will be digitally available for anyone. I have found that not all people want or need one on one coaching but could use a maintenance program.

Shop for popular personal achievement resources that give you a competitive advantage in business and in life!

On top of that I have made my mission statement this is not my statement but it sang to me as I read it. I am using it to draft my mission statement and will tweak it as I go.
My name is Tim Thomas. I live by design. I create balance in work, play & community. I inspire those I interact with. My mission is to give, for giving is what I do best. I will seek to learn, for learning is the basis for growth and growing is the key to living. I will seek first to understand for understanding is the key to finding value, and value is the basis for respect, decisions and action. This should be my first act with my wife, my family, and my business, I want to help influence the future development of people and organizations. I want to teach my children and others to love and laugh, to learn and grow beyond their current bounds. I will build personal business, and civic relationships by giving in frequent little ways. Through this I will earn my value with others.
I am planning a date for a mastermind group? Any interest? Reach out and let’s chat.

My fitness plan is coming together after a year of getting back at it. I am making small gains. I am starting to regain energy and have started some cardio 2 miles every other day. My diet is substantially smaller than it ever has been. I try to make wise choices. Breakfast consists of a banana and a yogurt. Lunch is a salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Dinner is whatever the wife throws at me. I allow for one or two ginger ales a week.

My sleep needs to get better I am trying to push for 6-8 hours a night to see if I can rejuvenate a bit. I use progressive relaxation and healing tones to go to sleep.
My daily exercise routine is to rise at 4:30 AM stationary bike 20 – 30 minutes. San-Shin 1 element x 10 reps x 4 element. Then to sit-ups 1 x 30 and then push-ups 1 x 30. My day goes so much better when I start that way. At night I run and on my off days I shadow box.
What do you do to improve your fitness level?

Well webbers TTFN – I hope all is well and you are living your life by design. I welcome all emails please reach out and say hello.
This is Coach Tim Thomas and I will catch you next time.
Live Life by Design.

Tim Thomas
Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
https://www.facebook.com/Thomas.Training

Monday, August 4, 2014

Win or Loose


"Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday." - Wilma Rudolph


Hi Webbers,

How are you? I am crazy busy as usual. I am living a blessed and amazing life. I don't have enough time in a day to finish most things. They roll over to the next day get pushed aside and I will get to it later.

Part of my day today was studying about a Win - Win attitude as taught by Franklin Covey. Now here it is towards the end of the day and life throws the lesson right up at me.

I work in a business where I take a lot of losses throughout the day sometimes even the wins seem like a loss. There was a time when this bothered me and stressed me to the max. I enjoy winning and realize I cannot be the #1 choice for my clients all the time. These are business decisions of course and sometimes the client doesn't want the best. They will settle on price. I always wish them luck and hope it works out for them and that I am there should they reconsider.

Tonight after closing one computer and moving to the next then realizing I need to take a shower from an earlier hair cut I received today. My daughter asked for a race. I had to oblige. Now I am that dad that believes in raising my child up and letting her win all the time. This was the first time I actually with intent beat her. To my amazement she said I cheated. I asked her how I cheated. I was shocked and needed to understand. I have seen this pattern when her and her mom play. She stated I was faster. I asked - how does that make me a cheater? She said because I run faster. I had to giggle to myself and explain to her that sometimes as much as we want to win we can only do our best.. If we push our self to our limit and not held anything back. We may have lost the race but we have won our personal challenge and that was not to give up.

My training has taught me to never give up. I hope to transfer that to my daughter. I have been told my whole life that I cannot do a lot of things. I have always been determined to do them. The best part of the lesson was after understanding and explaining this to my daughter she wanted a rematch.

She is a very fast runner and I will have to oblige. I bet she wins "wink, wink"

Webbers have a great night and remember to live you life by design. If you are stuck or in a challenge situation reach out and lets see what we can do to get you moving forward.

T

www.2-help-u.com


Shop for popular personal achievement resources that give you a competitive advantage in business and in life!

Monday, July 28, 2014

Working on it

Hi Webbers,
Today I have started a new journey. I am working to get my coaching practice to double in size. I am also pushing to change some things in my life. I am struggle with a few health problems and I am determined to beat it. If I can be of service to you please do not hesitate to call on me. 

I have been working hard on changing and adding many things to my business and soon will be looking to polish it up. Right now I am just stacking as much information as I can. In regards to my health I have just weighed in at 221 lbs and in 3 months I want to weigh in a 210. My goal is to be 190 lbs or less by 2015. I can do this and will do this. I am behind schedule at the moment due to different factors. One being my lack of motivation. 

I am using binaural beats to change this. I am reprogramming my conscious mind and to create the change I want to be. I have some projects to finish and am looking to move way ahead of where I am currently. Stay tuned for the journey/


Take care webbers and visit www.2-help-u.com

T

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Sleepy 6/11/14

Hi Webbers,

Happy morning to all of you. I have been awake since 11:00 PM. I thought I would catch some shut eye with my daughter around 7 or 8 ish. I tell you when take a nap together it is like putting two batteries end to end. I am surprised we don't internally combust. It is unbelievable how peaceful it of a sleep it is and how refreshed I awake to. Needless to say at 3:43 in the am. I am going to feel this for the rest of the day.

That is okay. I am preparing to take a little vacation over the next week to prepare for the rest of my year. I am expecting to see a good friend in a few weeks. Which I am sure we will have an absolute blast.

In preparation for this next six months. I have had to make some adjustments one is with my facebook friends. I had a lot of peeps on their. Some I knew, Some I didn't either way I needed to clean that so called friends list up. Some people noticed and requested to be friends again which I gladly accepted. Some people got pissed at me because I dropped them. I am sure some could care less. The whole point of it was to see who would. I must have cut about 300 people. As I prepare myself for the next chapter I had to make sure I wasn't wasting energy on relationships that had 0 (zero quality).

What am I preparing for? I need to dedicate my energy to fix my version of my life wheel. As you can see it is not a wheel I am not sure what shape that is as a Success Coach. I strive to balance everyone else's wheel. In the interim it appears I have neglected mine. This was just a quick exercise I did as I prepare my business to go to a full digital platform - More to come on that. Home was a 5 - what does that mean. First of all for your life wheel you pick ten areas of your life that are important to YOU then your place them on a wheel and grade them 1-10.

With my HOME I wanted to be at a 10 meaning just being home gave me some energy to do what I need to do. You can see it is giving me a 5. This is in the middle and there is always a bit of fluctuation. However being in flux at an 8 would give me more joy. Instead of coming  home from one job and sitting in one spot I have decided to add some variety. Like doing what I did tonight and just snuggle up to my little princess.

Work was at an 8 for both my regular work and my business. I function at an 8 I could give it a ten. In being honest with myself it will be a 10 when my coaching practice is full time and it can carry the household. With either job there is not much dissatisfaction.

Free time is important to me. This is down time where I can literally just veg out. I rated it at an 8 because I can take down time when I WANT to.

Family is at an 8 and trust me it isn't all sunshine and rainbows we are talking on average here. I still screw up and piss the wife off and she does the same to me. However we are finding better ways to communicate and support each other. I love this part of it. Included in that is our extended family who I love to see and spend time with. How can I make this a 10 you may ask. One thing that would turn that up for me is a bit more financial freedom. However there is a give and take this is where the fun starts. My free time and some thing else would need to decrease. Is that good or bad? I look at it this way. when I put free time side by side with family I could let the free time go. Why is that? I get more of a charge from spending time with my family compared to having free time.

Friends I rated at a three. That is not a good rating for me I love people and I have a lot of business people that I spend time with. However that is business. There is an image and some personal things that you just don't discuss. Being a people person that really is not a good number for me. Since I am mended from the majority of my medical problems it is time to get that up to a 10. I need to get back into some social activities some real human interaction. I am going to look at a new gym this week. I already have my boxing gym set up. I need to just make it happen.

I hope this helps with understanding how the life wheel works. If you would like to have yours done for you. Free of charge. Please contact me at info at aionnh.com replace the at with (@) I do this to keep the spiders away. We can do this over the phone, skype or in person.

I am Tim Thomas and I want to be your Success Coach. If you or someone you know needs help getting something done or need to turn something around in their life please have them contact me. I do not charge for my first session. This provides a great value for my clients and for me. We get to see how well we fit for each other with no obligation to either party.

I hope you enjoy the above video from Tony Robbins. I will speak to you soon.

Live Life by Design.

Tim Thomas
Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980





Monday, March 10, 2014

Obsolete

Morning Webbers,

Thursday evening I cam home to find my girls watching TV at my house which is not normal I asked my wife if her computer worked and she said "no". Upon investigation I discovered our router had a fatal failure on the wireless side. We also had a bad cable modem. Needless to say our smart home was now incapacitated. We only had our smart phones.

Unfortunately with the workload I had we were down until Saturday afternoon when I could visit one of them box stores that is supposed to have everything you need except the actual knowledge of what to do. After some ill advice and me shaking my head saying I should have known better. However I am so far out of the technology route I had no idea what AC technology compared to N Tech meant.

This got me thinking about how obsolete some things can be and the only reason we don't change is because we are comfortable. The reason I bring this up couldn't be that this applies to how we live. Redoing the same patterns every day even though our world around us changes constantly. Do you hang on to some unneeded patterns or skills even though they no longer serve you. I know I have. I did not see how old the technology was that was on my desk a 2001 cable modem. It worked!! Why should I change it. Lets see the old one couldn't take advantage of the speed or the bandwidth the cable could now produce. The wireless is much more powerful now as well. With the enhanced services my daughter can now watch her streaming Disney movies without interruption or any lagging. This is where a coach can help. Isn't it time to change and live the life you desire. Update your skills and or patterns to fit the world you live in now.

I have also struggled with how to organize I am a pen paper guy stuck in a digital world. I have a lot of work and I go back and forth from binders to electronic technology. I have spent a lot of money on those fancy organizers and end up not using them for very long. I am having to teach myself how to use the programs in the CLOUD. I am a huge fan of GOOGLE. So in my travels this weekend I picked up a multi-page scanner and am working at placing all my documents on to a digital file. I am also digitizing all my forms. Talk about welcome to the future. I have a six inch stack of paper that my daughter can now use for scrap paper. Which means I have more room for hard copies. Yes I am still old school and believe in keeping hard copies of hard to come by information. I am sure at some point soon that will be as obsolete as a vinyl record.

Webbers that is my thought for the day. What could use an upgrade in your life? By changing that one thing how would it effect the rest of your life. In my case I can now use that speed and power to accomplish more tasks which means less time at the keyboard and more time for my wife and daughter.

Live Life by Design.

Tim Thomas

Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
Sites you can find us on:




DISCLAIMER: No personal advice is implied or stated in this communication. The information presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as personal legal or advice. By reading this, you agree to all of the following:

You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not professional advice. You are solely responsible for the use of any content and hold Tim Thomas / Aion and all members and affiliates harmless in any event or claim.

If you purchase anything through a link in this email, you should assume that we have an affiliate relationship with the company providing the product or service that you purchase, and that we will be paid in some way. We recommend that you do your own independent research before purchasing anything.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Morning lets get going

Good Morning Webbers,

I hope your day is treating you well. I am wiping the sleep dust from my eyes and feeling good. I spent the evening feeling upset. I am listening to my powerclass for RMT coaching.

What you focus on increases!

Our thoughts create our experience of reality. What the thinker thinks, the prover proves. If we believe there is a shortage, our neurology sorts & filters incoming data to prove that belief to be true.

Do you use a scarcity mentality vs abundance mentality?

The old-time economists used to think we lived in a universe of fixed resources. This we know now is untrue. It didn't take human ingenuity into account. There used to be no money on the planet, & look how much there is now! We live in an abundant universe.

Change what you're focusing on. What do I mean by focus? The combination of your thoughts & emotions. People who are truly wealthy feel wealthy.

How can you feel wealthy today?

Live your life by design.

Tim Thomas
Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
Sites you can find us on:




DISCLAIMER: No personal advice is implied or stated in this communication. The information presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as personal legal or advice. By reading this, you agree to all of the following:

You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not professional advice. You are solely responsible for the use of any content and hold Aion and all members and affiliates harmless in any event or claim.

If you purchase anything through a link in this email, you should assume that we have an affiliate relationship with the company providing the product or service that you purchase, and that we will be paid in some way. We recommend that you do your own independent research before purchasing anything.

Monday, January 27, 2014

A visit with an old friend

I am visiting an old friend today. As a good friend of mine says friends who needs them just remove the r and what do you have. His view of the world always makes me smile. This is a good Saturday as we prepare to leave. I have to move our cars around and get the truck ready.

We had a great time yesterday it is now Sunday and it is almost 9:00 PM and we are winding down from a lazy day.

How do you run your business. Is it planned or is it the other extreme and runs in chaos. In today's business world you have to leverage your time with systems. That is how most franchises work. Plan your work and work the plan.

These systems such as flow charting, policy and procedures run your business.

You hire people and train them to run your system.

You are the leader.

Now it is Monday and I am still pecking away at this entry....

"The journey of a lifetime begins with a single step."

What we focus on increases:

Our Thoughts create our experience of reality. What the thinker thinks, the prover proves. If we believe there is a money shortage, our neurology sorts & filters incoming data to prove that belief to be true.

What do you believe?

We are always interested in hearing or reading your thoughts.

Until next time - Live your life by design!

Tim Thomas
www.2-help-u.com





Monday, January 20, 2014

Working Hard On A Monday

Hi Webbers,

Today is Monday and the weekend was filled with catching up on paperwork and course material. I have so far cleaned up from as far back as 2008. What a lot of useless information I had put away I couldn't get to it then but it interested me so I hung on to it. I do know better. I am evolving as I get older. I realize we hang on to many things even though they do not serve us anymore. What are you hanging on to? Is it adding to your life or taking away from it. If it is taking away you really should let it go. This year I am focusing being the change I want to see in the world. I am challenging myself everyday to example instead of a warning. I am striving to be the example of the person I want to be everyday. So far I have had plenty of FAILURE, I just try again the next day. As I practice being mindful there is only the present moment. You cannot relive what has passed and you cannot think into the future. There is only the now. What is your personal challenge for the year? I would love to hear about it. I have other challenges but this is my top one.

My exercise for today was Sanshin x 10 each element, 50 situps, 25 pushups, 40 weighted full squats, bicep curls x 40, shoulder press x 40, bench press x 20, flys x 20, tricep extension x 20. This is all done with only 10 lbs in each hand.

I am reading some great material right now My voice will go with you by Sidney Rosen - It is the teaching tales of Milton Erickson.

In another book I was reading I ran across this great acronym to T.H.I.N.K. while I am saying or typing. It comes from a think campaign that I could not locate via the web.
However it speaks to remember before you speak or type:

True - Is it?
Helpful - Are you sure?
Important - Is what I am saying important?
Necessary - Is it?
Kind - Is what I am typing kind?

I thought it was a great way to stay in the moment while communicating. What skill do you use to maintain a good communication set when speaking or typing? It would be great to hear some other ideas.

Well webbers I am back to the books. Till next time Live your Life by Design!

I am here 2-help-u visit me at www.2-help-u.com

I am Tim Thomas and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Really what a Monday

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.

Hi Webbers,


Been a busy day and I still have plenty to do. Tomorrow will be a challenge. Lets see where to begin. Why not with the ice covered drive to drop off Avery and then to work seeing more accidents and slides than I care for. Please learn to slow down being late is never half as bad as never arriving.


The office was a mess with too many things left undone and working with a member of my team on what our challenge is for the year and how we are going to make our target. With all this mayhem I missed my 2:00 webinar. This was with TBT and I did want to sit in on it. I WAS STILL WORKING. 


If that wasn't enough I was behind in my chores at home. You see I had an amazing day yesterday. I got to attend a New Years Workout in the Lynn Woods. Hosted by a close friend and senior in the tradition I study I got the chance to take on my first real training in a year. It felt good and albeit I had some rust to knock off. It felt great to move around. The folks that came out to train were all great and was a pleasure to speak with them.

I have learned to take many things in stride especially in the past couple years. I found out I lost a person I have known for a long time over the weekend he was only 55 a young man who will be missed. Later this evening a family member has gone in for emergency surgery I am praying for them right now as my wife is with them at the hospital. I am hoping for the best outcome or a miracle. 

With all that being said my response today is much different than years ago. I am drinking green tea as I type this and am practicing high impact breathing to take away the stress. The old me would be drinking way to much of some other liquid and would be angrier than a bear with his nose stuck in a bee hive. 

I really do appreciate the tools I have learned as I venture deeper in to the training of human change and life design such simple techniques to change our physiology and our state. 

I encourage everyone who reads this to take a few minutes and just enjoy some deep belly breathing in through the mouth out through the nose. If you start to get dizzy maybe not so deep. Feel you state change to one of more calm and peace. 

Stay safe out there and live your life by design till tomorrow.


Live Life by Design.

Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
Sites you can find us on:



Thursday, January 2, 2014

Snowy day

Hi Webbers,

Here we are on a the first day back to work on the new year. My baby is at a sleep over. The day has been busy with gearing up for the new year. How was your day today? in practicing my mindfulness skills I took notice of how beautiful the white fluffy crystals were and the slippery ride to the office this morning. While I was there I got no contracts closed and I think we only made twelve dollars for the day.

As I type this I am preparing to work on my home work for my total breakthrough training. This is some great material. It really has changed my thoughts and my mind over the past year of studies. I am looking for clients to share this knowledge with. If you would like to meet and discuss how I can help you achieve your own breakthrough please contact me. We can work in whatever manner you are comfortable with. from face to face or via email.

I look forward to speaking with soon.

Live Life by Design.

Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
Sites you can find us on:



DISCLAIMER: No personal advice is implied or stated in
this communication. The information presented is for educational
purposes only and should not be construed as personal legal or advice.
By reading this, you agree to all of the following:

You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not
professional advice. You are solely responsible for the use of any
content and hold all members and affiliates harmless in any event or claim.

If you purchase anything through a link in this email, you should
assume that we have an affiliate relationship with the company
providing the product or service that you purchase, and that we
will be paid in some way. We recommend that you do your own
independent research before purchasing anything.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Morning Webbers,

I sit this morning enjoying life. I am looking back at how much in the past year my life has changed. I still struggle with some nagging health issues. Overall I feel great. I start my day off being thankful that I am here for another day. The start to my day is seeing my daughters beautiful face as she comes to snuggle anytime from 3:00 to 4:30 in the morning. I can't explain the joy I have when I see her. As I begin to be more awake I am thankful for my wife who is a great partner in this life. What are you thankful for today?

My family and I got to enjoy our Nephew's birthday a whole 1 years old. I had a great time especially getting to put the happy man to sleep. My daughter and I played tag for hours. All in all it was a good day.

I awoke this morning having to arrange a babysitter for Avery. Thank goodness for mom's. The plumber is coming by. I have to get into the office and get a few contracts finished.

I am regularly working out now. Hopefully This will get the rest of my chemical issues inline. I try to workout upon waking every morning. A version of Junan Taiso. This is an old body loosening techniques and check in scanning my body  for any unusual tightness stiffness or any other deficiencies. I then perform 2x25 for 50 sit ups full ones no crunches for this kid. 2x10 for 20 push ups. 3x10 for 30 bicep curls. 3x10 for 30 shoulder press. 3x10 for 30 squats. 3x10 for 30 tricep kickbacks. I finish off with a version of San Shin for 50 reps.

For breakfast I eat 2 yogurts and have 4 tablespoons of flax seed. 16 oz's of water. So far this routine has knocked out about 5 lbs of fat from my body. Currently I have dropped from 225 lbs which is the heaviest I have been since high school. to 217. I am aiming to get my weight down to 195 or 190. That would put me at the lightest I have been since being a junior in high school. The thought is if I can release the weight there is a chance to eliminate some of the drugs I need to take to maintain the proper chemicals. Which is sad to say in all the research I do. There is nothing in our medical field that can advise to what causes these problems. They just medicate you for it. Buyer beware I am refusing to take on pharmaceutical drug and am hoping this regiment will alleviate the need for it. 3 months to go and we will find out. In speaking to some people I have a high respect for the negatives outweigh the positives for using this chemical concoction.

Well webbers time for me to meditate and work on my mindfulness till next time take care and see you soon.

Live Life by Design.

Aion
A Life by Design Company
PO Box 4327
Manchester, NH 03108
Tel: 603-682-4980
Sites you can find us on:



DISCLAIMER: No personal advice is implied or stated in this communication. The information presented is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as personal legal or advice. By reading this, you agree to all of the following:

You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not professional advice. You are solely responsible for the use of any content and hold and all members and affiliates harmless in any event or claim.

If you purchase anything through a link in this email, you should assume that we have an affiliate relationship with the company providing the product or service that you purchase, and that we will be paid in some way. We recommend that you do your own independent research before purchasing anything.