SOLUTION ORIENTED Challenge!!

HEY!!!!

Here's how it goes....

For the next 7 days the challenge is to catch yourself in a repetitive negative thought pattern, speaking or acting pattern. Then, shift it. Interrupt your pattern. Do something different.  Ask yourself a question...what is my solution here? How can I create something more enjoyable here? What can I do to initiate the change I wish to experience?

We all have records that play in our minds and we follow our minds with our actions without even knowing we are doing it sometimes. Before you go to bed at night, sit down for 5-10 minutes and think about the next day.....What do you want to accomplish? How do you want to feel?  How do you want to nourish yourself and move your body? How do you wish to relate to people? to yourself? What do you want your energy/vitality to be like? Get some good answers going and let it be expansive!!! I will be doing this with you guys so you are not alone. We are the ones that have the experience of our life. We get to choose what we do with it. The rest of the stuff..is how we choose to respond and manage.

Where have you been seeking change? It starts in your thoughts and beliefs..comes out in your words and actions. Let's focus on some things this week and see just how much more positive energy and vitality you can create! And remember......when you do this...you do a massive service to the world! There is the ripple effect.....every person you come in contact with, you have an effect on. How do you want that to be??? : )

Ok......see you on the other side!! Comment here or on facebook to share and collaborate. We all need our tribe.

Our Anniversary Weekend at the Cabin

All I can say is ...we RELAXED. As soon as we walked in the door of our oh so generous friends' cabin, we both let out an AAAHHHH...this is nice. Begin..unwind. I think it's important to note that I didn't have to try to unwind, like I might try to meditate, or try to relax and focus when I'm at home in my daily life..No, this was completely different. It has happened before and I've been paying attention. It happened here. Something beyond my mind, my trying......just let go. This is what I pay attention to, to listen to my inner guidance. Where I relax, where I tense up, where I feel free and expressive, where I feel held back....I say where and what I mean by that is where, when, around whom, etc. When it is beyond ME...I pay serious attention.

Right before we came here, I had been stressing myself out. Some things have been happening and changing in my/our life and I had let it go too long. I know this about myself...I need to get out of town and go somewhere quiet to rejuvenate..but don't we all just get too busy! We're supposed to be being productive and successful and achieving all of the time..ALWAYS ON. Doesn't work for me. I remembered this over the weekend.

My body relaxed, and let go. Ongoing muscular tension relaxed, I slept really well, my mind calmed down and in all of that, I was able to understand some things a bit more clearly. I was able to receive clarity and some answers. During the time I was there, I knew that if I could just maintain this sense of inner calm that I could actually work more productively and more in alignment with myself. That is what I am currently working with.

At home.....we're IN IT. Everything that has to be done, emails, text, work, family..you name it. Minus the down time to harness peace and clarity = recipe for destruction. I have been able so far to remember and trust what became clear over the weekend and rely on that to help me manage myself better. And I know more than ever that getting out of town, in nature and quiet is ESSENTIAL to my well being.

We all need different things that rejuvenate and refuel us. Help us go into the parasympathetic nervous system and out of sympathetic, or fight/flight response. The important thing is to know what it is you need and give yourself that gift.

It works for Keith and I both to be in NATURE and QUIET, so that is a bonus for us as a couple. We do different things in other areas, but to unwind, we take the same medicine. It was very healing. We read, walked outside with Lady, talked about what we loved about each other (I know, maybe silly, but we liked it), had a fire going...it was simply divine.

My experience with listening to myself keeps evolving. But here are some things that have been very helpful for me that maybe will help you understand your signals as well.

One thing that happens for me is that I get pictures in my mind. They aren't things I "think up", or conjure, or try to visualize, they just appear like I am looking at something but it is above where my eyes actually are, it's literally a screen in my mind. I actually love it when this happens because it's such a reminder to me that we are all given guidance. I simply utilize the knowledge of the picture to the best of my ability. For example.....a couple of years ago I kept getting this picture of me in a beach house, I had on a specific color green tank top, my hair was pulled back and I was really happy, glowing and healthy. Now, when this started to come in, it was so refreshing as I had struggled with my health in the past. The way that I used this is every day when I would shower and get ready, I would just tap in to that visual and how it made me feel. I would get ready for my day with that picture and how it made me feel. This may be a little woo woo for some, but this is what I did. Not too long after this was happening, I ended up meeting a woman who lives in Florida and she became my coach and a friend. Keith and I had several trips to Florida is the next almost 2 years and I had drastic changes in my life and health.  And then this happened.....a photo...of what I had seen, but it was in my house. After spending time in Florida and around the beach and having some breakthroughs....the picture I had been seeing.

My best friend and I live 2,000 miles away from each other. We take selfies and send them to each other to connect, be silly or whatever. When I saw this, it was the first realization I had that I had been given guidance, followed it and came to have fruition of things I had been working on. This was a big deal to me.

Another thing that happens for me is that I get very strong feelings in my body. Tension in my neck, nausea, fatigue..it comes in different forms but whatever form it comes, it's strong and doesn't go away until I act on whatever it is I'm getting a message about. This is not my favorite way of listening to myself as it is uncomfortable. But, I have also noticed that the things I've had to take action on during these times, is usually pretty uncomfortable and I don't want to do it. So, if it were just a nudge or pretty picture suggestion to myself...I may not do it. It's my way of getting my own attention.

Another thing that happens is that I just simply hear myself. I have immediate answers, Yes, or UH-No...or I don't like this, or this isn't where I need to be. This is the one that I am still learning to act faster on as one of my patterns is to question myself. It's getting better. But still an area that needs work.

In situations such as the cabin, or when we've gone to Florida and spent time at the beach....I simply unwind without any conscious effort. It's like magic. And it's necessary for me to stop, let things clear out, and be open to receive clarity and new guidance again.

These are all ways in which I have learned to listen to myself. The cabin was a good reminder of the importance of caring for ourselves so we can stay tuned in and connected.

What form does your guidance take?

10 years to Chaturanga! Chatu--WhaT?!

What the heck is a Chaturanga?? Well, it is the yoga "push-up". If you practice yoga, you know this and if you don't, you may not even know how to pronounce it..but you're probably trying right now. tee-hee. : ) I wanted to write about this because of my personal journey with this one pose. I hope to share with you a broader view of what all is possible with just one single movement.

I have written before about my journey with my health and I have touched on pieces of the whole picture here and there. I do believe in a holistic way of living and being and this one pose alone showed me a whole lot about that. I guess we are to learn first what we may teach later. As I have been on my journey of health and wellness, I have discovered that there is a WHOLE picture and sometimes we are only focused on one piece. The issue with this is that it can create frustration when this one piece won't budge. With the understanding that "everything affects everything", you can participate in creating a healthy lifestyle in all areas and let them all come together in their due time.

Now, back to the pose. I went to my very first yoga classes when I lived in Colorado, in 2000. That was my beginning. I remember vividly what felt like some sort of twisted way of being with my body and my teacher saying, 'now just reach back and grab...."whatever. I couldn't move. The words she spoke, I heard, but they hadn't yet found their way from my brain, through the twists and turns my body was not used to being in. The mind/body connection was just beginning.

Once I moved to Little Rock I began going to a local studio with truly amazing teachers. I feel grateful that I had the teaching/training that I had in my beginning. I was starting to do things I had only read about and seen pictures of. I also found this interesting connection between what I was learning and doing in yoga and what was happening in my life. Amazing. Well, there was this one movement that looked so easy and so ..I don't know..Strong...and I could not, for the life of me, do it. This Chaturanga thing. People who could do this just flowed through it like it was no big deal. I wanted to do this.

This particular movement utilizes your whole body but predominately arms, shoulders, and core. I got to where I could do it in proper alignment staying on my knees. Which is where you start, and stay until you create the strength for the full pose. It felt good once I knew I was in proper form, even if I was still on my knees. I had no idea it would take me so long to work into this full pose and I had no idea what all it would take for this to happen.

Rewind to when I first moved here and felt like a fish out of water. Out of place, and ultimately I was scared. My body went into a fight/flight response within a year of my being here and my digestive system shut down. What does that mean? Well, to be blunt, one day I just didn't go to the bathroom like normal. I was locked in and it wasn't going anywhere! This was the beginning of my actual physical body symptoms and my health. So, here's the correlation..this pose takes tremendous core strength and this is precisely where my body was showing symptoms. I did not know at that time what "core" really meant and what all could be affecting it. I did know, however, that when I attempted to do this pose, I would collapse in my lower back and belly.

Before things got better, and stronger, they got worse. I thought learning about nutrition and moving my body would yield me these results I was after. After several years, and a complete physical breaking down, discovering celiac disease and hypothyroidism, I was so frustrated. How could this be happening? I went through a stage where I hated to do yoga, because I hated what was happening in my body. I had even lost some strength and capabilities of things I could do for a while. Did I go through this gracefully? Probably not. I didn't know what was happening and eventually I just felt completely disillusioned by it all. It wasn't just my physical body, it was this overall sense that something about me just wasn't in alignment.

Fast forward to 2013 when I finally began to have some major breakthroughs. Yes, 2013. I guess that is more than 10 years but anyways...I went on a major self inquiry and overhaul. I began following my intuitive nudgings again, I began speaking more honestly and breaking down my people pleasing tendencies, I began setting healthy boundaries..and then...I began to, you know, poo again. Yes, my system was waking up, my symptoms were clearing, and my thyroid was stabilizing (speaking more honeslty, throat chakra) and then and only then did this chaturanga thing finally happen! wow!!!

I share this story as something to offer you if you have something in your life that just won't seem to budge. Be it a yoga pose, an olympic lift. a relationship, a career upgrade...could be anything. I had to do the work, I had to do the best I could do in the moment, while having a vision, while not giving up but also letting go.......It was a rich, rich experience, and life continues to be . You hear and see suggestions about "stepping into your power, being who you are, etc.." I feel through this journey I am getting a taste of what those statements mean.

So, when or if you find yourself stuck somewhere, or you are witness to someone else, remember, you/we/I don't always know what all is going on. Be gentle, be loving, be willing to explore and expand.  Finally making it to being able to do this Chaturanga, for me, was so much more than the pose, I just didn't know that going in to it. : )

Important Step That Many Forget

What if I told you that you are neglecting the one very thing that could allow you to live the life you always wanted? What if I said that we are brought up to believe that this aspect is greedy, selfish, or being too egotistical? I am talking about the fact that you have to take care of yourself.  Sounds simple, I know, but chances are you are reading this saying in the back of your head, I do... But, do you really? I mean think about it.............  The fact is this step is the bedrock of making yourself better, feeling the best you possibly can, and making lasting change.  This MUST be a priority.  I am proposing you be a bit selfish, you take care of you 1st, and carve out time for yourself in that busy schedule you keep each and every day. 

Self-Care is the foundation for improving one's physical, mental, spiritual, emotional health.  You neglect this, you feel it, it may even hurt, and it's hard to even feel fulfilled in life. 
Please understand that this is not me pointing a finger at you and condemning you, I'm trying to drive the message that deep down we all know:  You truly can't take care of another person unless you can effectively take care of yourself.  Sure, you can get by, but what you may be doing is distracting yourself from the things you truly should be doing for yourself. 

How does this happen? Well, we live extremely busy lives, always trying to keep up, do it all, care for those around us, not wanting to let anyone down and in this process- We come last.........

The reality is here in the US that there are entirely too many unhealthy people (overweight, sleep-deprived, over-stressed, and dehydrated).  Again, I'm not pointing a finger, and God knows I have my flaws with things to work on, but the statistics show that frankly, as a whole, we Americans just don't take great care of ourselves.  I'm not ok with this and believe why one of my passions in life is working with people to improve their overall Health and Wellness.
Bottom-Line, It's up to YOU.  People like me and Jami, we can help, and we love to, but we put the plan in place and you work the plan.  That's the KEY... You have to have a routine, a plan, a template you can default to and have on autopilot each and everyday. 

Here's some General Guidelines we use for ourselves and with Clients:

1]  Work quality sleep into your schedule, 6 to 8 hours.  This may be a challenge for some, but you may have to get creative with naps even.  You cannot skimp on this, lack of sleep will catch up with you.  Neurologically, you will not be the best you could be.

2]  When you eat, eat until you are full.  For most this means smaller portions.  Please don't be a calorie-counter, eat sensibly, listen to your body, and make sure you are working plenty of quality green veggies in your diet.  Nutrition is all about balance each and every meal (protein, carb, and good fat). 

3]  Exercise at least 3 times a week.  Move your body some way some how... We have written about the numerous benefits of moving in other blog posts.... Bottom-line, if you aren't using muscle tissue you lose it, especially as we progress in age.  If you live a sedentary life, you probably have imbalance in your muscle and joints which will lead to many of the common injury, aches, and pains that a lot of people experience and some even view as the price of old age.  I don't get that; you can do something about that.

4]  Develop a form of Meditation or Quiet-time in your day.  It can be 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or even an hour.  Studies have proven this will lessen daily stresses and hopefully increase happiness. 
Sit in the quietness comfortably, and develop this practice that will help slow things down for you a bit.  It's truly healing.

5]  Drink more Water throughout the day.  Water is cleansing and even gives you energy.  Dehydration brings with it many side-effects like fatigue, headaches, and even kidney problems.  Drink at least 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces each day.  If you're active, drink you bodyweight in ounces each day (for me, that's anywhere from 80 to 160 ounces of water daily).  Sorry, water in soda, coffee, and tea doesn't count here.

6]  This is a HUGE ONE.....  Please pay attention....  stop being so Critical of Yourself.
Fact is that we are our biggest critic.  We are tougher on ourselves than anyone else.  Cut yourself some slack, take it easy, and take a step back.  Realize all the great things you have done.  See how valuable you are.  Remember to celebrate your accomplishments.  Usually we blow past things we accomplish to see what's next.  Slow down, celebrate, and Love yourself with a Self-Five!

7]  Check in with yourself throughout the day.  Look at your emotions and how you feel about the things that go on in your life.  Let your guard down a bit if you have to, pull the armor down and see what you care about or even what angers or disappoints you.  This is a call for you to feel what's happening in that brain and heart of yours....Let's LIVE and not get trapped in the mundane habit of sometimes functioning as a damn robot.  Feel, Live, Love and Thrive!

These are some helpful guidelines that I hope will give you a template on how to attack your day and take care of your most precious commodity, YOU.


As always, we are here to help.

Focus and Distraction!!! Something I'm learning about!

There's been one really good way for me to see myself a little more clearly lately....Working from home! WOW. See the picture above? This is what I'm learning about right now. BIG....TIME. So, in order for me to do something different, I'm sharing here and creating a plan to help me to learn how to focus. The irony is...I just left a program that was teaching me about focus. Even more ironic, is that I had signed up for several programs, all of which where distracting me from some things that I needed to deal with. I had to disengage briefly so that I could get a handle on some things.

The things I tend to get distracted with are all good, positive (in my opinion) things. And, they are my go to's because it's very convincing to me to always be involved with "healthy", transformative, self developing things...because I love those things, because they are necessary, because it's what I do and share with the world, and because it's my nature and on that note, it's EASIER than doing the hard things that I really need to do..the things that I don't know how to do well, the things that are uncomfortable for me, the things that will yield the results I'm actually seeking but I'm unfamiliar with the steps to get there.

It's a VERY uncomfortable place to be in right now. But...this is part of me, and it's happening and it's front and center...I probably would do well to seek some guidance from someone who has mastered this. I am actually learning about this at my yoga studio. One thing I noticed recently though, is that I would go to my yoga class because of this anxiety I have because I know I'm not focused and taking action where I need to. So, here is a prime example of where one of my very helpful and positive habits, is being used by me, to distract myself. Why do I do that? Because I know I can go there and move and breathe and sweat and then feel a little more confident about things. I can be with people who inspire me and share in an environment that is purposed for our empowerment as people and creativity and fun. I love it.

When I get home though, I am here with me and the things I need to deal with. So, how can I use what I am learning there, and apply it here? How can I use what all I have learned about creating health in my body and apply in these areas that need my attention now? I know that if I can create in certain areas, I can create in others. It's just new territory.

It's interesting to me to be here. One thing I noticed in this particular yoga practice, which is Baptiste Yoga, is my focus. It is called 'drishti' in the yoga practice. It was being taught in one particular class in great detail. When you move from one posture (asana) to the next, you have a drishti, or a focus point. You will go where you are focused. I noticed that my eyes were all over the place! It has become much better on my yoga mat but it is showing up loud and clear in other areas.

My particular areas are unique to me. We all have areas we need to pay attention to, to focus on, to do something different with. What are the areas you need to focus more on?  I am going to do some inquiry and maybe even enlist some advice and work with this. My hope and plan is to write again about this and have some helpful hints and good results to share with all of you!!