Thursday, February 28, 2013
No lightning bolts for this girl!
Last week I had a bunch of morning commitments and didn't get to the gym during my favored time (7:30 - 8:30 am). So what did I do? Instead of going to the gym at a later hour, I skipped my workouts! You may be thinking "but you're a health and lifestyle coach, you're not supposed to skips workouts!" Well, just so you know, health coaches don't always make the best choices. Sometimes we slip up too. But I no longer intend to beat myself up about these things. I find it is best to forgive myself and move on. So this week I am back at the gym and back to my morning routine. The break I took last week didn't prompt the health coaching gods to strike me down with a bolt of lightning. In fact, they reminded me that I'm human--just like you (cuz, hey, I know you slip up too!). Please don't beat yourself up when you slip up. Love yourself instead. www.synchronessence.com
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Minute Meditations
Admittedly, I am a task oriented person. Typically I am thinking about my next activity while completing the task at hand. As a result, I am not truly living in the moment; not fully present. I have decided to change this practice--and you can too--using minute meditations.
Here are some mindful ways to tackle household chores:
Salad making meditation - Some days I wish I had a self-propagating salad bar on my kitchen counter but since I don't, I have learned to prepare my salads with mindfulness. Treat your vegetables with reverence as they are miraculous creations from the earth. Pay attention to their color, texture and aroma. Slice them while giving thanksgiving to Mother Earth and infuse abundance into your nourishing meal.
Pot washing meditation - In the spirit of Mr. Myogi from the Karate Kid, I scrub my pots with the circular wax on, wax off motion until their brilliance returns. Particularly stubborns stains are a reminder that life's not always easy. Sometimes we need to use greater strength and have more patience before we can shine.
Vacuuming meditation - Hum along to the drone of the vacuum with an internal "om" allowing your mind to quiet. Use the back and forth motion of the machine to stretch your body--carpet yoga, if you will!
Ironing meditation - Okay, so some people don't iron any more but, if you do, make it count. Feel the warmth of the fabric after the steam has penetrated the cloth. Recognize that you have the power to straighten out the wrinkles in your life (or accept the smile lines on your face!). Marvel at the elegance of a crisp white blouse.
Plant watering meditation - Houseplants purify the air we breathe and add color and beauty to any room. Nourish your plants not only with fresh, clean water but with loving energy. Allow the plants to feel your higher vibration and learn to feel theirs.
Give minute meditations a try. You might even find yourself looking forward to housework!
Here are some mindful ways to tackle household chores:
Salad making meditation - Some days I wish I had a self-propagating salad bar on my kitchen counter but since I don't, I have learned to prepare my salads with mindfulness. Treat your vegetables with reverence as they are miraculous creations from the earth. Pay attention to their color, texture and aroma. Slice them while giving thanksgiving to Mother Earth and infuse abundance into your nourishing meal.
Pot washing meditation - In the spirit of Mr. Myogi from the Karate Kid, I scrub my pots with the circular wax on, wax off motion until their brilliance returns. Particularly stubborns stains are a reminder that life's not always easy. Sometimes we need to use greater strength and have more patience before we can shine.
Vacuuming meditation - Hum along to the drone of the vacuum with an internal "om" allowing your mind to quiet. Use the back and forth motion of the machine to stretch your body--carpet yoga, if you will!
Ironing meditation - Okay, so some people don't iron any more but, if you do, make it count. Feel the warmth of the fabric after the steam has penetrated the cloth. Recognize that you have the power to straighten out the wrinkles in your life (or accept the smile lines on your face!). Marvel at the elegance of a crisp white blouse.
Plant watering meditation - Houseplants purify the air we breathe and add color and beauty to any room. Nourish your plants not only with fresh, clean water but with loving energy. Allow the plants to feel your higher vibration and learn to feel theirs.
Give minute meditations a try. You might even find yourself looking forward to housework!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Choices
Originally posted on my website on October 19, 2012
You commit yourself to eating right and exercising. You're consistent. You're on a roll. You've lost a few pounds and your jeans fit better. Awesome feeling, right? But what about those times when cravings hit. You can't seem to pass up the Halloween candy, the donuts at the water cooler, or a second helping at dinner--even if dinner is a fairly nutritious meal. I've been there! In fact I've given in to a number of temptations lately that have caused a few pounds to creep back on to my body. Frankly, it makes me angry at myself particularly since I have worked hard to slim my body over the past eighteen months. But I've learned that I can't let temporary set backs get me down--and neither should you.
Each moment we have a chance to turn things around and make better choices in all aspects of our lives. We can choose to eat a plateful of nutritious vegetables for lunch instead of grabbing something from the vending machine to boost our energy. We can take 10 minute breaks throughout the day to stretch or walk for quick rejuvenation. We can block out a few minutes of quiet time to center ourselves. We can spend time with our families and friends to feel the love and connection that we all need for a balanced life. Minute by minute we can make choices that nourish us rather than deplete us.
So today, I'm going to recommit myself to feeding my body with nutritious foods, drink plenty of water, hug my child and breathe deeply. It's a start. I know that it's the little choices that make a difference to my health and happiness in the long run. What choices will you make today?
You commit yourself to eating right and exercising. You're consistent. You're on a roll. You've lost a few pounds and your jeans fit better. Awesome feeling, right? But what about those times when cravings hit. You can't seem to pass up the Halloween candy, the donuts at the water cooler, or a second helping at dinner--even if dinner is a fairly nutritious meal. I've been there! In fact I've given in to a number of temptations lately that have caused a few pounds to creep back on to my body. Frankly, it makes me angry at myself particularly since I have worked hard to slim my body over the past eighteen months. But I've learned that I can't let temporary set backs get me down--and neither should you.
Each moment we have a chance to turn things around and make better choices in all aspects of our lives. We can choose to eat a plateful of nutritious vegetables for lunch instead of grabbing something from the vending machine to boost our energy. We can take 10 minute breaks throughout the day to stretch or walk for quick rejuvenation. We can block out a few minutes of quiet time to center ourselves. We can spend time with our families and friends to feel the love and connection that we all need for a balanced life. Minute by minute we can make choices that nourish us rather than deplete us.
So today, I'm going to recommit myself to feeding my body with nutritious foods, drink plenty of water, hug my child and breathe deeply. It's a start. I know that it's the little choices that make a difference to my health and happiness in the long run. What choices will you make today?
Beauty
Orginally posted on my website on October 22, 1012
My friends and I have embarked on a creative project during the month of October. We have committed to taking a photo a day for 31 days. It doesn't matter the subject. While there need not be a theme, I have chosen one to provide focus (pardon the pun) to my endeavor. I decided to capture autumn up close. I wanted to notice wondrous details that come with the changing of a season. I am taking time to appreciate the beauty of a fallen acorn, the crisp color of sugar maple leaves, shiny dew on pumpkins and the intricacy of spider webs.
Sometimes as we rush off to work or take our children to school, we forget to stop, breathe and take in our surroundings with appreciation and gratitude. The world around us is miraculous.
I encourage you to take some time this week to look around you. Connect with nature by taking a stroll through the woods, park or your community. Take in the sunshine, vibrant colors, and the sound of geese as they prepare for winter. Feel the cold wind on your cheeks and listen to the leaves as they crunch under each step. There's beauty everywhere if you take a moment to truly see it--and just breathe.
My friends and I have embarked on a creative project during the month of October. We have committed to taking a photo a day for 31 days. It doesn't matter the subject. While there need not be a theme, I have chosen one to provide focus (pardon the pun) to my endeavor. I decided to capture autumn up close. I wanted to notice wondrous details that come with the changing of a season. I am taking time to appreciate the beauty of a fallen acorn, the crisp color of sugar maple leaves, shiny dew on pumpkins and the intricacy of spider webs.
Sometimes as we rush off to work or take our children to school, we forget to stop, breathe and take in our surroundings with appreciation and gratitude. The world around us is miraculous.
I encourage you to take some time this week to look around you. Connect with nature by taking a stroll through the woods, park or your community. Take in the sunshine, vibrant colors, and the sound of geese as they prepare for winter. Feel the cold wind on your cheeks and listen to the leaves as they crunch under each step. There's beauty everywhere if you take a moment to truly see it--and just breathe.
Self-Love
Orginally posted on my website on February 21, 2013
I was born in rural Pennsylvania surrounded by beauty that I have only recently come to appreciate. Our family of five lived in a modest home that my father built and we largely relied on our garden to sustain us. We ate fresh, organic vegetables in the summer and, during the winter months, we relied on food sealed in Mason jars or frozen in Tupperware containers--it was just as wholesome and tasty as the fresh stuff. As the years went by, we continued to eat from the land but, like so many families, succumbed to the convenience of processed foods. I remember going to Carrols, a precursor to Burger King, to sample their burgers, shakes and fries. I recall going to Dunkin' Donuts to eat mini pocket sandwiches (with a donut on the side for good measure, of course!). And so it began for me and my generation--the easy, peazy world of fast food.
As a kid, I hadn't given a whole lot of thought to what I was consuming; however, as I entered my teen years, I became increasingly obsessed with my weight. I had a horrible body image. Why was I flabbier than the other girls? Why was my face so puffy? My solution was to deny myself food and to exercise frequently. Of course, exercise is hard when you haven't fueled your body enough, but what did I know? I just wanted to be skinny...and tan, oh so tan...but that's a story for another time.
Over the years, I tried all sorts of diets and exercise programs. There was Fit for Life, Stop the Insanity, Nutri-System, Weight Watchers, Medifast. You name it, I probably read about it or experimented with it. Yet I lost and gained the same 30 pounds time and time again. What was holding me back from being at a normal, stable weight? When I look back, I think there were numerous reasons, but one really stands out: I had never learned to truly love, trust and respect myself. Luckily, that has all changed--and rather recently.
A couple of years ago, the Universe whacked me upside the head with yet another bout of depression. I'm not sure why all of the other depressive episodes failed to wake me up, but this one took! I guess I was finally ready to learn the lesson that had been sent to me many times before; that I needed to heal from self-inflicted wounds and stop denying myself the love, joy and nurturing that all of us deserve.
I began to walk, to write, to read, to paint, to relax. Sometimes I just listened to the birds. Donning hot pink toenail polish, I floated around our backyard pool on a similarly-colored raft while staring skyward. I began to reconnect with my core. She was always there. I had just forgotten who she was. When I learned to feed my soul, I regained the love, trust and respect that I had pushed aside while managing everyone else's expectations for far too long. I began to cook--something I had rarely done before. I found that the kind of whole, fresh garden-variety foods that I grew up eating nourished me far better than anything I could get from a drive-thru. I drank more water, and experimented with teas, beans and grains; I developed a love for kale.
When a friend at church observed that the light had returned to my eyes and that my skin glowed, I knew that I had turned a corner. After all these years, I had finally figured out that all I ever really needed for true nourishment was self-love. And, guess what? Surprise! I am now at a healthy, stable weight. I plan to keep it that way.
I was born in rural Pennsylvania surrounded by beauty that I have only recently come to appreciate. Our family of five lived in a modest home that my father built and we largely relied on our garden to sustain us. We ate fresh, organic vegetables in the summer and, during the winter months, we relied on food sealed in Mason jars or frozen in Tupperware containers--it was just as wholesome and tasty as the fresh stuff. As the years went by, we continued to eat from the land but, like so many families, succumbed to the convenience of processed foods. I remember going to Carrols, a precursor to Burger King, to sample their burgers, shakes and fries. I recall going to Dunkin' Donuts to eat mini pocket sandwiches (with a donut on the side for good measure, of course!). And so it began for me and my generation--the easy, peazy world of fast food.
As a kid, I hadn't given a whole lot of thought to what I was consuming; however, as I entered my teen years, I became increasingly obsessed with my weight. I had a horrible body image. Why was I flabbier than the other girls? Why was my face so puffy? My solution was to deny myself food and to exercise frequently. Of course, exercise is hard when you haven't fueled your body enough, but what did I know? I just wanted to be skinny...and tan, oh so tan...but that's a story for another time.
Over the years, I tried all sorts of diets and exercise programs. There was Fit for Life, Stop the Insanity, Nutri-System, Weight Watchers, Medifast. You name it, I probably read about it or experimented with it. Yet I lost and gained the same 30 pounds time and time again. What was holding me back from being at a normal, stable weight? When I look back, I think there were numerous reasons, but one really stands out: I had never learned to truly love, trust and respect myself. Luckily, that has all changed--and rather recently.
A couple of years ago, the Universe whacked me upside the head with yet another bout of depression. I'm not sure why all of the other depressive episodes failed to wake me up, but this one took! I guess I was finally ready to learn the lesson that had been sent to me many times before; that I needed to heal from self-inflicted wounds and stop denying myself the love, joy and nurturing that all of us deserve.
I began to walk, to write, to read, to paint, to relax. Sometimes I just listened to the birds. Donning hot pink toenail polish, I floated around our backyard pool on a similarly-colored raft while staring skyward. I began to reconnect with my core. She was always there. I had just forgotten who she was. When I learned to feed my soul, I regained the love, trust and respect that I had pushed aside while managing everyone else's expectations for far too long. I began to cook--something I had rarely done before. I found that the kind of whole, fresh garden-variety foods that I grew up eating nourished me far better than anything I could get from a drive-thru. I drank more water, and experimented with teas, beans and grains; I developed a love for kale.
When a friend at church observed that the light had returned to my eyes and that my skin glowed, I knew that I had turned a corner. After all these years, I had finally figured out that all I ever really needed for true nourishment was self-love. And, guess what? Surprise! I am now at a healthy, stable weight. I plan to keep it that way.
Lovin' the Homework!
I just cranked out a bunch of marketing promotions for some presentations that I'll be giving through the Manheim Township Parks and Recreation Department (Lancaster, PA) this spring http://www.synchronessence.com/presentations-2. I was able to do the work uninterrupted and got it done in a far less time than it would've ever taken me back in the days when I worked in a traditional office setting. Don't get me wrong. There were lots of benefits to working in an office. I could walk down the hall and brainstorm with a staff member, seek guidance from colleagues, and be part of a social environment. However, as I sit here writing this, I don't have to worry about what I'm wearing (yoga pants and a fleece top), whether my hair is combed (it's not), or interruptions (all I can hear is the hum of my computer and birds singing in the backyard). I don't have to answer the phone (unless it's a client) and I don't have to manage anyone's expectations except my own (which can be high). I find that I take better care of myself working from home. I exercise more frequently, take time to stretch and breathe, and sip on green drinks and white tea whenever I need refreshment. I am grateful to the Universe for giving me this chance for a new way of living, away from the politics, questionable decisions, and endless meetings. I changed my life's story and am lovin' the homework!
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