You've Got a Hot Ass! Now Admit It!

It's really hard for a lot of us to love the package we're in. I know this from personal experience and I don't think I'm alone here. It's very easy to look in the mirror and dislike what you see. You see one flaw after another, and you just can't seem to find something beautiful about your body. 

We're constantly being told by the media, by movies, TV shows, magazine covers, and the opinions of others that we aren't pretty enough or thin enough; our hair isn't the right length or style, our teeth aren't white enough, our nails need to be painted, we need to wear more makeup.....the list goes on. I mean, how many commercials and ads do we see on a daily basis advertising products that promise to make us look better? A ton. Now, don't get me wrong, I like wearing makeup and getting my hair and nails done. I love shopping for cute clothes (shoes especially), and I really enjoy looking great-I'm not knocking that. I do, however think that it can go too far and we can be killing ourselves trying to be beautiful for the wrong reasons. We should never be applying makeup to impress someone else or to live up to a makeup manufacturer's expectations. If it genuinely makes you feel beautiful, if it's an expression of your  personality, then go for it and have as much  fun with it as you want to. 

Adding to this frustration, we're also conditioned in our culture, not to think too highly of ourselves. We don't want to come across as vain or full of ourselves. Sure, I get that, but I think it's pretty bad not to think too highly of ourselves. What kind of a rich and fulfilling life can we live if we don't think we're worth it? And unfortunately, our view of our exterior plays a pretty big role in our view of our interior.

 So the next time you look in the mirror, I want you to take a deep breath. 

Now, with very kind and loving intentions, please look at yourself and smile. 

Find 1 thing that you love about your body. It can be anything. It can be your eyes. It can be that smile you just put on. It can be your shoulders, the shape of your calves, or your hot little booty. It doesn't matter. And it doesn't matter whether or not you think someone else would agree. This is just for you. 

Now that you've found 1 awesome and amazing part of your body, find 2 more. Go ahead. Doesn't this feel sooooo much better than nit-picking and making yourself feel awful? You're beautiful, dammit! Don't forget it. 

 We all come in very different packages, and I for one think that's fantastic! It would be so terribly boring if we all looked the same. Every person you meet has something amazing, positive and unique going on, inside and out. And guess what-so do you!

When you start looking for positive things about yourself, you'll notice them about others, you'll let them know, and you'll be sending out some of the awesome positive vibes everybody needs so much.

So, make a practice out of finding beautiful things about yourself, inside and out. I mean, if given the choice of feeling great about yourself, and feeling awful about yourself, why not choose to feel great?

Have a great week, and remember-you're beautiful!!!

Can you Forgive?

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.—Unknown

Forgiveness.

Ooh, that's a rough one. We all have something god-awful in our past, done to us by someone that just plain sucks. It can be so hard to get over.

I know for certain that you cannot truly move forward on your path to wellness successfully without letting go of past hurts. You don't have to forget about everything, but coming to terms with things, and allowing the person that wronged you to move forward peacefully can be incredibly healing for you. Holding onto negative feelings, for whatever reason, is toxic to you. That's right, to you. You are the one that will suffer the consequences of internalizing all of that negativity. Think about it, if you're angry with someone, they may not even know...even if they know about what they did, they may not realize it has hurt you to such an extent that you're still holding onto it all. Being angry continuously hurts you physically and emotionally. The next time you start reminiscing about this thing that upsets you, try to notice what it does to you....does your stomach clench, does your breathing quicken, do your muscles tighten up and does your face scowl? Emotionally, you may be in a great mood, but then you're reminded of what you're angry about and then bam! Your mood just took a nosedive and that's not good for you or the people around you.


I just want to take a moment to clarify and say that forgiving someone is not at all saying that you are allowing this person to continue to hurt you. This isn't to set yourself up to continue to go through the same situation.

You can do something as simple as writing down everything that upset you, including how it made you feel and any consequences that came from this event (or events). Just get it all out. Once you do this, you'll feel lighter, I promise. Then, if you want to take it to another level, light a candle, say a prayer or set an intention and burn that sucker! As the paper burns, it signifies a cleansing and elimination of the hurt feelings. The anger, frustration, embarrassment etc.

What past hurts can you let go of today....?

You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well. --Lewis B. Smedes

Finding Your Purpose and Living on Purpose.

Lots and lots of people struggle to find a meaning to this whole experience called life. They try to figure out why we're all here, what are we doing, and more specifically, why they, as an individual are here. This thing that we're looking for may be called our purpose, or our calling, and it can be found. Here's how I found mine...

I was going through a period of time in my life where I felt something was missing. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something just wasn't quite right. I started to take stock of my life and decided that I have an awesome family, an awesome partner, great friends....I wasn't happy about my job but who really truly is?  Sure, I'd like to have more money in the bank and vacation more. I'd love to go to the spa more often and expand my shoe collection, but I knew that I needed to just wait and be patient for these things; they're on their way, it just wasn't time yet. After identifying these things and taking notice of what I wanted to improve in my life (there were other, less materialistic things as well), I still hadn't figured out what was missing....so I started journaling and reading lots of self-help books, articles and blogs. I got very still and quiet. I meditated and really listened to that little voice inside. I realized that even though I had a bunch of really great things going on in my life (being a mother to 3 absolutely amazing kiddos is a hugely gratifying journey in itself), I wasn't fulfilled on every level.

Now, some might say, 'Hey, you already have so much more than a lot of people in this world.' True. You've definitely got me there. I'm healthy, happy, I have my freedom and countless opportunities available to me. I have excellent people in my life (this is very intentional, by the way) that truly love me and care about me. I'm a lucky lady in most areas. Some people may look at me, in my quest for complete and total fulfillment and say I'm being selfish, not appreciating what I have. Not true, though. I do appreciate all of it. I'm thoroughly grateful. And not only that, but the quest for fulfillment is not at all selfish. It's a way to become happier and therefore affect those around you in a more positive way. So, by serving yourself, you're serving others.

In my quest for fulfillment, or finding my purpose or calling, I had this amazing a-ha moment and realized that the reason that I'm not feeling fulfilled just yet is that I still have skills, talents and gifts to give the world that my current situation/career/choices don't allow to be utilized. I'm also not pursuing my passions, either. It's like I have this amazingly brilliant light inside that's being dimmed every single day. I have so much more to give than I am currently giving.

What are these skills, talents, gifts and passions that I've discovered?


I enjoy talking to people and I have this cool ability to make people feel at ease around me. They feel comfortable enough to open up and share really personal things.


I love giving helpful advice. After having a conversation with someone who's asked for advice on a particular topic, I feel good being able to point them in a certain direction. And then, when they come back and tell me about the positive outcome of taking my advice, I feel amazing! I've helped them and that feels fantastic.


I love talking about anything pertaining to wellness. Food, relationships, stress relief, holistic care, career satisfaction, health, having fun, spirituality, home life. All of it.

So what's my purpose? What's my calling? To combine these passions and gifts that I have and share them with the world....to me that means becoming a Wellness Coach. Once I came to this conclusion, I knew it was right. How did I know? Because of how it made me feel. I felt in alignment with everything. People around me, the Universe, everything. It's as if every single thing around me clicked into place and just felt right. It created this amazing internal vibration, it gave me butterflies in my stomach and made my toes tingle. Now, the thought of being a Wellness Coach may not do a single thing for you.....it may not give you any kind of warm, fuzzy anything. That's ok because something else will.

We're all here for a reason. Every single person has something amazing to give. Everyone has that brilliant internal light to shine on the world. To find it just be still and listen to yourself. The answer is there. Think of the things that bring you the most joy and excitement. Don't play it safe when figuring this stuff out. There are no wrong answers. Just be still and listen...you alone have the answer. And if you've already figured it out, congratulations! The hardest part is figuring it out. Also, remember to be patient with yourself, this may take a little while. The more relaxed you are about the whole thing, the easier it will all come to you.

I hope this blog helps you and inspires you to dig a little deeper, get to know yourself better and find out what you have to give the world, because the more of us that are vibrating at our highest level, the better our world as a whole.

Have a great week!!

Spring Wellness

We're right in the middle of spring and this is the perfect time to check in with yourself and see how you're doing with your New Year's Resolutions or goals for 2012. 

How is your overall wellness? Are you drinking enough water? Are you active every day? How are your personal relationships? Are you happy with your present career/job? While you're taking stock of your current situation, remember to be gentle with yourself. It's possible that you've been neglecting some of your initial intentions for the year. Or, maybe you're kicking some serious ass and checking things off of your year-long to do list. Either way, it's ok. You're ok. Find areas to make improvements and just go for it, with confidence in yourself and your ability to achieve whatever it is that you want to do.

While you're doing all of this, don't forget to notice the positive! 

I'm sure you're doing something right, somewhere in your life. Maybe you are going to bed a little earlier at night, maybe you've started meditating or praying more often. Maybe you joined a gym, are taking yoga classes or are eating home cooked meals more often. Whatever you're doing, be grateful for yourself and the progress you are making. The best and most long lasting progress takes time and patience. Anyone can clear out their cupboards and restock them with organic whole foods overnight, but if you aren't truly prepared to change your eating habits, then the next time you run to the store, you just may begin buying that same chemically processed junk food you cleared out not that long ago. Have faith in yourself and trust that you're exactly where you're supposed to be in this moment. Continue making progress in the direction of your dreams and goals, but be kind to yourself as well. The more loving and supportive you are of and towards yourself, the more likely your progress will stick.

Since Spring is associated with rebirth and new beginnings, this is a great time for a cleanse, as well. This can be as complex as an all juice diet, complete with colon cleansing or as simple as eliminating sugar or caffeine from your diet for a few days. You get to decide how intense, how long and exactly what your cleanse will be. Another idea would be to eliminate watching television or checking in with Facebook for a day (or a week..). Listen to your inner guide and let it tell you what you have too much of right now....cleansing feels wonderful and can put things into proper perspective, too. 

So, I hope you're enjoying this Spring, and that you're feeling pretty fantastic about your wellness....feel free to leave a comment below about how you're doing so far in 2012.

Have a great week!!

Juicing

If you're looking for a way to spruce up your health and get a whole bunch of nutrients and vitamins into your body there's a really cool solution...

Juicing.

About 6 months ago, I stumbled upon an amazing and inspiring documentary and it really got me pumped for juicing:

'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead' by Joe Cross. 

Quick synopsis:

An Australian man is sick with a disorder that causes him to break out in hives at random times-nothing in particular triggers his reactions, so he can't just avoid certain irritants. Instead, he has to take prescribed steroids, which have a host of side affects. He seeks all kinds of medical advice, all to no avail. Through his research and seeking for an answer, he discovers the concept of rebooting his body and immune system with a juice cleanse...he cuts out all foods for sixty days and drinks fruit and vegetable juices that he makes himself with a juicer. He travels throughout the U.S. to spread the word about what he's doing and what his hopes are for the outcome of his experiment. He meets and inspires some great people along the way...the documentary also features the story of a man named Phil Staples that Joe meets during his trip through the U.S. They have the same disorder and swap notes on how awful and painful it can be. Joe offers to help Phil on his path to better health, and that's when things get really good....

I don't want to give away any more, I just highly recommend it. It's truly inspiring and I tear up every time I watch it. (It's available instantly on Netflix).


I did a juice cleanse at the beginning of this year and I made it 12 days. It was really difficult some days, but I felt absolutely amazing. I was energized, my skin was glowing and healthy, I was in a great mood, I felt FULL after juicing (which was definitely surprising), oh, and as a nice bonus, I lost (and have kept off) 20 pounds. Amazing stuff.




Juicing allows your body to quickly absorb a ton of nutrients and vitamins that your body so desperately needs and quite possibly doesn't get....our Standard American Diet just doesn't allow for it. Maybe you have a healthy diet, and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables already, but it's quite possible that you're still not getting everything that you need....(I'll go into the poor growing conditions that most of our produce is produced from in a later post). By ingesting the nutrients in a liquid form, it allows your body to detox and heal more efficiently because it's saving energy by not having to digest solid food. This is especially helpful if your diet usually consists of processed foods and lots of meat and dairy. It gives your body a much needed break. Juicing also lets your body get back to the basics and reboot itself so it can handle all of the bad stuff it's supposed to be able to fight off (and avoid)....i.e...most colds and infections, high blood pressure, diabetes, strokes, even cancer. If the cells in your body are healthy and at their best, they have the ability to keep you healthy. I'm not claiming that if you juice, you get a free pass through life, without any possible health issues at all...however, I am saying that you really might want to consider giving your body every bit of protection possible, and one step in doing this is providing proper nutrition for it, and juicing can be a major contributor-one that's pretty easy and tastes great, too.


I plan to do a juice cleanse seasonally, 4 times a year. I encourage everyone to check it out, and if you have any questions that I may be able to help you with, or if you need a little support along the way, feel free to contact me here or email me at:

bebalancedandwell@yahoo.com

Have a great week and I hope this opens up a new topic to you and possibly inspires you to take a step in the direction of better health, wherever your health may be right now. 




Also, check out these links for more information......


http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

http://myjuicecleanse.com/juicer-recipes/mean-green-juice-recipes/

http://www.juicer-guru.com/

Morning and Evening Routines

I absolutely love taking a little bit of time for myself every day. It's refreshing, and allows me to recharge and then I'm also able to give more to those I care about and work with. Having a nice morning routine, and a nice evening or bedtime routine allows me to begin and end each day on a positive, relaxing note. Here are a few things that I like to do...

In the Morning.....

I set my alarm for 6am.....no one else is awake yet, and I usually get 30-60 minutes all to myself. During this time, I go into the kitchen and drink a big glass of water. I refill my glass of water, bring it into the living room, light my meditation candle and set the timer on my phone so that I get a solid 15-30 minutes of meditating. At this point I'm already feeling pretty awesome. I get up and go back into the kitchen and make myself a nice hot cup of organic Chai tea and then open my laptop and read some positive and uplifting emails that I get in my inbox everyday. My favorite is The Daily Love by Mastin Kipp. I highly, highly recommend it. Mastin blogs everyday (7 days a week!) about an interesting and relevant topic regarding self growth, and he also features 3 other blogs by other amazing people within his blog. It's truly uplifting and it always speaks to me....about this time my family is starting to wake up, so my morning routine is all over, but I'm ready to take care of everyone because I've taken this time for myself. (This is also a great time to practice a little yoga, play Just Dance on your Wii or go for a walk and breathe in some fresh morning air and watch the sun rise).

In the Evening....














I think it's incredibly important to get a good amount of sleep every night. 7-9 hours is recommended for adults, and I say, find what works best for you. Now, in order to set yourself up for a good night's rest, you need to do a few things beforehand. Like, turn off your TV, computer and phone.....I know, I know, it's really hard. A lot of people like to watch TV right before going to sleep and myself, I like to play with my  phone...I'm completely addicted to Draw Something and StumbleUpon. I also downloaded an app that plays relaxing music and shows an image of a fire burning, or a beach with waves crashing in, or I could choose from many other soothing scenes. However, the big problem with all of these things: the TV, computer, and phone is that the light that they emit prevents you from producing those happy sleep hormones and you will not fall asleep and stay asleep like your body needs you to. So, unplug everything an hour before you want to go to sleep. And instead of filling that time with staying connected to the virtual world that we're all so plugged in to during the day, meditate, take a warm bath or shower, read a nice, easy to read book, snuggle with your partner, have a hot cup of sleepytime tea and gaze at the stars out of your bedroom window, or, another one of my favorite me-time activities-write in your journal. Maybe a gratitude list-jot down some things that made your day super awesome....even if you had a rough day, you can write about that. Cleanse your mind from the things that may keep you awake.

Leave a comment below about what you do to help yourself in the morning or evening....I love getting new ideas....and you just may help someone else figure out what will work for them....have a great week!!!

Appreciating Your Power

I don't know about you, but I am not living the purest, most awesome manifestation of my dream life. I live in a too-small house, I have a job that most people would not envy and I've yet to achieve perfect health and happiness. It's really easy to focus on these things, too and beat myself up for not achieving more at this point in my life. I should have picked an actual career years ago, I should not have made so many monumental mistakes in the love department, I should have spoken up for myself, not allowed so many amazing opportunities to pass me by.....etc....

But.....

what an incredible waste of time......

 Without all of these 'regrets' (and I really hate even using this word) I wouldn't be exactly who I am and where I am right now. All of my mistakes and and hardships were brought on by decisions that I made. I take full responsibility for it all. That is so empowering to say, believe and feel. I did it.

Do you know what else this means? I get to take responsibility for today, tomorrow and the rest of my future. This feels so amazing.....I am giving myself the opportunity to sit down, make a to do list of anything at all that I want to do, and do it........I don't like my house? Well guess what.....I'm going to continue to save money for a down payment for a house that's a better fit for my family of 5. Not in love with my job? I've found the education that will allow me to pursue my *dream job*  (starts in 2 months....can't wait!!!). I won't have a say over every single factor that comes about, but I get a pretty big say in things overall.

And guess what....the same thing applies to you. And everyone else. Co-create your life! Don't take on the role of victim and shy away from facing things head on (which, yes, is so much easier, but it only creates a safe space for you to allow everyone else to shape your life)....only you can decide what direction your life takes. You may be faced with huge problems that are seemingly insurmountable......and maybe you can't change every thing that you don't like, but you can change and have a say in how you react, and what you do from this point forward.

In 10 years, would you like to say....'hey, my life has been pretty great....I feel like I stood tall and really shaped and sculpted my experiences into amazing things that really reflected my dreams, feelings and desires. Not every single thing went according to plan, but I really tried and gave it my best, and learned some great lessons along the way.'

OR.....do you want another 10 years of wasted opportunities, more victimizing of yourself (by yourself!) and of not living in your own personal integrity?

So, where in your life can you be more present and aware of yourself and where you are in life? Can you slow down for a few minutes and take stock of what's going on? What's making you happy, and what could be better for you (don't forget to stop and appreciate what is awesome in your life right now, too). Remember, you are very much in control of the direction that your life is headed....be empowered by this and go for whatever is going to bring you joy.

-I want to really emphasize the fact that you should be focused on what YOU want, not what your parents, friends, spouse or society want for you......they may have your best intentions at heart, but that won't make you happy or feel full inside.


I hope the things I've written about this week resonate with you.......take what you need from this and have a great week!!

You are Awesome. Period.

Last week we talked about loving, supporting and being happy for others. This week I want to talk about how awesome you are, and why you should love yourself.

At our core, we all have this brilliant, radiant, overwhelmingly awesome energy. Most people believe that it comes from God or the Uni-verse or Spirit or Source (it's also referred to as our Soul or Spirit). The specifics of your belief system can be suspended for a moment here. Just accepting the possibility that this energy is there is enough to understand it's importance. This brilliance within is who and what we are. It's capable of anything and everything. Our sometimes limiting beliefs in ourselves is what stops us from following our dreams or taking a potentially dangerous, emotionally speaking, step. It isn't because we're incapable of accomplishing great things....we're just worried about all of the numerous little things that could happen, or obstacles that could get in the way. We tend to worry and doubt ourselves into a still, stagnant, unchanging life. These worries and doubts most definitely veil our radiance. It's hard to remember it's there when your bills are overdue, your kids get sick, your job completely sucks or you're going through a divorce.

However, knowing and remembering that you have this built-in awesomeness inside of you, knowing that you have the backing of God/Uni-verse/Spirit/Source behind you in all that you do is an amazing gift and you should really use it to help you get to a point of deeper self confidence and awareness of all that you are and all that you are capable of. Use this knowledge to get to a point where you believe that all of the small bumps in the road are just that. Small bumps in the road. Turn them into spiritual lessons. Little bitty things that may cause a slight delay, but are there, and can become a fantastic lesson in life, if you choose to view them that way. These bumps don't define you, but if you let them, they can help to shape you along your journey, in a wonderfully transformative  way.




You are awesome, amazing, unique, fantastically interesting, and have all the strength, courage and stamina you need right inside you. It never goes away, flakes out or takes a vacation. It is always there, ready and waiting for you to not only tap into it but embrace it and be it. So, for all that you are, love yourself. Love yourself like you  love your child, best friend, mother or partner. Love yourself and don't stop. Not even when you make a bad decision, or embarrass yourself or hurt someone. Not even when someone else puts you down, doesn't understand you or says you're not worthy. Forget all of that, and remember to love yourself. No matter what.

I truly believe in my heart of hearts, from my head down to my toes, that if you do not love yourself, as you are, with all of your amazing-ness, and with all of your faults, you cannot truly love another or openly accept love from another. We need to believe that we are exactly who we should be, at any given time. You are perfect and deserving in all of your imperfections. Love yourself. No matter what.

Get Pumped For Others' Successes!

Sometimes... when you're going through a difficult period-emotionally, physically, financially-it can be very hard to be happy for others...

Especially if they're accomplishing goals that you have for yourself, such as buying a home, getting married, getting a promotion, having a baby, losing weight...etc. When you really want something, and you're working really hard to get or accomplish it, it can be so discouraging to see someone  swoop in and in a seemingly effortless way, achieve the same goal.

When you're going through a situation like this (and there are plenty of times in life when you will), it's so important to remember that not every moment will be perfect for you...without the downs, you cannot have the ups. You just can't. Knowing this, and fully embracing this nugget of truth, you can celebrate the successes of others much easier.

Be selfless and lift them up, praise them, let them know that you couldn't be happier for them-and be genuine, of course. Love and support those around you, even if it's hard, even if their good fortune in life seems unfair to you. One of my biggest pet peeves in life is hearing people say things like 'They don't deserve that', 'That's not fair, I work hard, why don't I have things handed to me?' Chances are, other people are working very hard, too, and they do deserve rewards and blessings. Chances are, they have intimate moments of kindness with others, moments that you and I can't even imagine, and they're just reaping the rewards of the positivity that they're putting out there. We never know the whole story, and so, we might as well give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Loving and supporting others will only produce more love and support for ourselves and everyone else. 

There are going to be people that you come in contact with that are rude. Mean. Inconsiderate. Dishonest. People that should have shitty karma swirling around them nonstop. And these people seem to have tons of money in the bank, they live in a beautiful home, drive expensive vehicles, vacation multiple times throughout the year...their lives seem perfect. I promise you this-no one has a perfect life. No one is coasting through this life without a care or concern. There's a saying in Christianity that goes 'Everyone has a cross to bear.' So incredibly true. No matter how flawless someone's life may seem, it just isn't so. With all of these wonderful worldly possessions and successes, they may have a family that is crumbling, or their health may be suffering, they may be so incredibly insecure about themselves that they try to fill that void inside with expensive clothes and jewelry, showing it off to others as a way to be able to say 'Look, I'm successful, I'm important, look at what I have.' 

Now, I'm not saying all of this to justify feelings of unfairness towards those that have a bounty of material things...my big huge point here is that jealousy over the successes of others is a waste of precious time and energy. Negativity breeds negativity. Use the time and energy that you do have to improve the world...it pays to love and support others. For everyone. Our first goal in life should be to spread and encourage kindness. No matter what. Yes, it's hard sometimes, but it's so very important.



Is there someone that you know who you can celebrate? Someone that is accomplishing some really cool stuff? Write about it in your journal, or leave a comment below-and don't forget to tell the person! . I'd love to hear about some awesome stuff going on out there. Until next time, I hope you have a positive and kindness filled week. 

Keeping a Journal

Alright, last week we left off with a little homework assignment:

Grab a notebook and a pen and take 30 minutes for yourself…find a calm, quiet place and get comfy. Now take a deep breath and just think about what makes you happy or what would make you happy and let your mind wander.  Let yourself dream and imagine all sorts of things. Don’t limit your thoughts or criticize or judge them. Anything goes here-just let them exist and evolve. Now start paying attention to what makes you tingle. What gives you butterflies in your stomach? What makes you feel excited and alive? Write these things down in your notebook, along with how they make you feel. Excited, nervous, apprehensive, happy? Jot it all down...

 I hope this was fun! I hope this got you thinking about the things in life that make you smile. I hope this got you to slow down a little, take a break from the crazy business of life and allow you to dream new dreams and remember old ones, too. I hope this gave you a little 'Me Time', which we all need to make sure we're taking on a regular basis-Guy/Girl, Young/Old-everyone needs it. So, what did you come up with? Are you getting those butterflies again right now, thinking about it? Or maybe you had a hard time with this little assignment...that's ok, too. 

Either way, this is a great first step in keeping a journal. Journals can be amazingly therapeutic...I keep two. One is for all of my incredibly feel-good, positive, lovey, upbeat, cute, funny and awesome quotes, pictures, sketches, doodles, ideas, thoughts and feelings. I love, love, love this journal-every now and then I'll flip through my past entries and just bask in the memories and fantastic feelings I had going on while writing in it. I love when I come across an inspiring quote that jazzed me up when I wrote it, because it usually jazzes me up again when I re-read it!

My second journal is for when I'm feeling  pissy or annoyed and I don't want to/can't vent to anyone around me-maybe they're having a rough day or I can't reach any of my equally busy friends or family members. I have a hard time allowing myself to voluntarily add to the toxicity of life, too-I try super hard to remain as positive and upbeat as I can and to be uplifting to others, so having this second journal is really helpful in allowing me to release all of my negative stuff, too.

Now, you don't need to have two journals like I do, this is just what works best for me. I really enjoy my journal time and I often give journals as gifts because I truly believe they can help you take productive steps toward what your definition of Wellness is for you. And remember, your journey to Wellness is a personal thing. What matters most is what will make you feel happy and healthy-emotionally and physically. Don't get wrapped up in what others want/think is best for you. Appreciate their intentions and then make the best decision for yourself. 

Here are a couple of links that you may find interesting and helpful. 

http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2009/08/04/keeping-a-journal/

http://www.squidoo.com/journalwritingprompts

Now for this week's homework: Look over your journaling from last week and pick one of those things that got you all excited, something that makes you happy or would make you happy. Now, write about it some more. If 30 minutes was a little daunting for you...go for 10 minutes. The more you write, you may realize that you actually want some more time! Just don't put any pressure on it, this is supposed to be fun, therapeutic and eye-opening. If you didn't start a journal last week or if you had a hard time coming up with a happiness-inducing list, go to the second link above, read over some of the journal prompts and let yourself be inspired. Until next week, have fun and be well!

WooHoo for Wellness!

Wellness is a concept that dates at least as far back as the Ancient Greeks. For at least 2500 years, mankind has been striving to obtain and maintain overall wellness in life. In case you’re wondering, wellness is defined by the National Wellness Institute as ‘an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence.’ What do they mean by ‘successful’? Earning six figures, having the corner office, driving the newest, biggest, shiniest German import? Not at all, actually.  ‘A more successful existence’, in fact, consists of having a better understanding of concepts like: destiny, health practices, spirituality, family, environment, work, money and security, health services, social support and leisure. It’s about finding balance among all of these elements. It’s about taking care of your body through proper nutrition and regular movement. It’s about having healthy and satisfying relationships and feeling connected to your world. It’s also about pursuing those things in life that make your toes tingle and your stomach flip. It’s about feeling ALIVE! And perhaps the most important factor to remember is that it’s also about connecting all of these elements in a balanced, harmonious way.

Every one of us has something inside called an inner guide, also known as our intuition or a ‘gut feeling’.  This thing we call our inner guide drives us to pursue our personal wellness. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, who’s responsible for a ton of groundbreaking work in the field of wellness in the 1960’s, our inner guide ‘rarely disappears in the normal person-perhaps not even in the sick person. Even though denied, it persists underground, forever pressing us, urging us towards wholeness and full expression of our true selves. We are driven by a nagging sense of feeling unfulfilled, that our lives are incomplete and we will never feel fulfilled until we achieve something great (to us)’. So, we have this amazing driving force that reminds us and guides us to pursue our wellness, so, why isn’t everyone running around with optimal physical health and an overall feeling of fulfillment?  Well, we have another force residing inside of us as well-the yin to our yang that is our inner guide. This force is a little less encouraging. It exists with good intentions yet never encourages growth or overall wellness. It  causes us to cling to safety, avoid taking chances; it discourages us from upsetting the status quo. It is our inner guide’s meddling cousin: our inner critic. A fear-driven cautious force, a nagging, annoying, sometimes mean inner critic telling us that we’re not __________ enough (smart, funny, rich, attractive, young, old, etc.) to do this or that . This can be discouraging, so our challenge here is to allow and also encourage ourselves to tune into our inner guide despite what our inner critic has to say.

               

 

I want to further delve into a very important point regarding our journey towards wellness: whatever it is we’re pursuing, it  has to be something that is great to us. You and I cannot strive to express ourselves in a way that simply pleases someone else. That satisfaction and wholeness we’re trying to grab simply won’t materialize. So you have to ask yourself, what do I want to do/be more than anything else? What will make my heart sing every single day? Competing in a tri-athalon? Painting a mural on your bedroom ceiling? Growing an organic garden in your backyard? Maybe you’re driven to compose a song, eat sushi in Tokyo, collect antique tea cups, start your own website, have a family, live in a tree house in Bali….I could go on forever here-the potential for inspiration is endless. My point is-do what you love, be well and feel nurtured and satisfied for yourself. The brilliance and radiance of your wellness will be beneficial and far-reaching. And in case you’re concerned, actively pursuing your wellness is not at all an act of selfishness. The fuller you feel, the more that those wonderful feelings will overflow and positively impact everyone around you. Don’t believe me? Just think back to a time that you were genuinely happy and having a great day…you were more joyful and kinder towards others, right? You probably noticed a lot of returned smiles and kindness coming right back…and they probably treated the next person they encountered with extra love, too. So, you see, it’s not at all selfish to be happy; you can’t help but pass it on to others, who benefit and pay if forward, too.

               

As we’re all aware, life is an amazing gift. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second-you will never get them back, so why not be well? Why not be on the constant, conscious pursuit of living your life to your fullest potential? Why not follow your dreams? Why not take immaculate care of your body so your mind can be happy, too? Why not live a life of wellness that inspires others to do the same?

                 

Now here’s your homework for this week….grab a notebook and a pen and take 30 minutes for yourself…find a calm, quiet place and get comfy. Now take a deep breath and just think about what makes you happy or what would make you happy and let your mind wander.  Let yourself dream and imagine all sorts of things. Don’t limit your thoughts or criticize or judge them. Anything goes here-just let them exist and evolve. Now start paying attention to what makes you tingle. What gives you butterflies in your stomach? What makes you feel excited and alive? Write these things down in your notebook, along with how they make you feel. Excited, nervous, apprehensive, happy? Jot it all down and stay tuned….