Hello and sorry for the mess up with my numbering. This is really week 19 and I've decided to add a new topic in to elaborate on my challenge of Movement.
Being still can be a challenge for most of us. We like to move and that is fine -- like I mentioned in the Week 16 Challenge movement is life. I also mentioned that meditation is not stillness because their is progression and want to elaborate on this topic.
Why is being still such a challenge? Because it requires silence and surrender; and most importantly it teaches us about ourselves. This can be scary and therefore people would rather focus on external stimulus vs being introspective. That is fine however it can lead to an inner disconnect. In other words you start to lose your sense of self. Are you living your life or one for others?
If you start to lose your ground (e.g., aren't happy, not sure who you really are anymore, etc) then this challenge is especially important for you. This is probably one of the most important challenges for all of us. Remember when I use the word challenge it's to encourage growth. If we stay in the norm there is no room for growth (and that is the bad type of stillness, or inertia).
The Challenge:
1) Take 5 minutes each day to sit quietly. Set a timer so you don't spend the 5 minutes wondering how long you have been sitting.
2) Just sit and observe your thoughts. Don't engage in the thoughts; just notice them. Maybe you can imagine labeling each thought with a title like "work", "poor self talk", "judgement", etc.
3) After your 5 minutes reflect on what came up for you. What did your 5 minutes teach you? Did a new awareness about yourself come up? Is there something you want to work on?
What I'm working on:
I love learning new things and part of learning requires some judgement. As humans we take in new information by comparing it to something else we understand. This can be risky because we can too quickly label without exploring the "newness". For me it is helpful to take that extra moment to reflect vs. quickly lumping new information into an old category. Or it may be the same category but a new layer. For example, I went to a workshop yesterday and when I first got there I was thinking "I know this already". But then with my awareness I settled into stillness to listen vs. judge. Doing so created such a profound shift for me and by the end of the day I not only learned new things but created clarity in other areas. And what a joy it was to spend the day with other people interested in wellness!
Have a great week and Live Well!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Week 19 - Nutrition
This week we will focus on an important topic that can be easy to sometimes ignore. If you are the type of person to make good nutrition a regular priority in your life then congratulations (and please post to share your secrets).
Personally I wavier between a healthy diet that mainly consists of whole foods (in their most natural form) and processed foods (which I find easier when I'm too busy to cook and do dishes). Fortunately I am always drawn back to a nutritious diet because I notably feel better when I do.
The Challenge:
1) Pick a week you can really commit to this challenge so it does not need to be this week.
2) Think about your current food choices and where you can make a few changes to bring in better nutrients (e.g., for me that would be to have an apple and a few almonds with a big glass of water for an afternoon snack vs. a skim latte and protein bar).
3) Commit to the more nutritious food choice for at least one week but if you really want to create a healthy habit then do it for one month. That way you may find that you have made a lasting shift.
What I'm working on:
I will be starting my day with a drink I learned about from one of my guests which is a cup of spinach, one large peach and one slice of mango blended. Believe it or not it is VERY good and spinach has a very mild taste. I will have the apple snack (as I mentioned above) and only have one cup of coffee in the morning. Breakfast will be an egg with sprouted toast; lunch and dinner fresh veggies, salads, rice and chicken. Also on Saturday I am attending a workshop to learn more about creating a less acidic diet so I will update you on that later.
Personally I wavier between a healthy diet that mainly consists of whole foods (in their most natural form) and processed foods (which I find easier when I'm too busy to cook and do dishes). Fortunately I am always drawn back to a nutritious diet because I notably feel better when I do.
The Challenge:
1) Pick a week you can really commit to this challenge so it does not need to be this week.
2) Think about your current food choices and where you can make a few changes to bring in better nutrients (e.g., for me that would be to have an apple and a few almonds with a big glass of water for an afternoon snack vs. a skim latte and protein bar).
3) Commit to the more nutritious food choice for at least one week but if you really want to create a healthy habit then do it for one month. That way you may find that you have made a lasting shift.
What I'm working on:
I will be starting my day with a drink I learned about from one of my guests which is a cup of spinach, one large peach and one slice of mango blended. Believe it or not it is VERY good and spinach has a very mild taste. I will have the apple snack (as I mentioned above) and only have one cup of coffee in the morning. Breakfast will be an egg with sprouted toast; lunch and dinner fresh veggies, salads, rice and chicken. Also on Saturday I am attending a workshop to learn more about creating a less acidic diet so I will update you on that later.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Week 17 - Self Care
When was the last time you did something just for yourself? I'm going to hope you can think of something you have done recently; or maybe even several things. But if I had to guess you are the type of person that takes pride in doing for others. Your day is full of commitments and just working and/or taking care of a family can fill up your day.
Plus most of us believe that self care is being selfish and frivolous. Do you feel guilty when you are taking care of yourself? If so this challenge is for you. I believe self care helps you to be selfless and better able to take care of others. If you feel resentful about your commitments its time to take care of yourself. You are like a car running on empty and you need to fill up. When you do you can reconnect with the joy and enjoyment of your daily commitments. You will be a better in all that you do because you now have the energy for those things.
The challenge:
1) Examine your feelings and where you feel struggle in your life. Write down some key words that describe your feelings and struggle. Here are some examples: Do you hate your job? Do you feel resentment towards someone? Did you let yourself down in some way?
2) Close your eyes and relax. Then image your perfect self, job, relationships... This alone is a form of self care. When you let yourself relax and see perfection you are allowing the universal law of attraction to work with; not against you. Don't worry about how to make it happen; just see it in your minds eye.
3) Write down something you can do to take care of yourself. This may be taking a hot bath, going for a walk, getting a massage or facial, doing your nails or planning a fun activity.
What I'm working on:
With my move, my book, co-founding www.healthbeatradio.com, my business, my pets, etc. I have been extra busy and that's not going to change for a while. My nails are broken and I am in desperate need of a haircut, so I will try to find places in my new town to get these services. I found a great yoga studio last week and plan on going back for a few more classes. If I can get the algae out of my pool I will go for a swim and spend time with my pets and my husband. My mom has been here this week which was a huge help with unpacking so today we will be spending most of today out shopping, having dinner and going for a walk on Lido Key.
Make the most out of your week. Have some fun so you can be your best.
Plus most of us believe that self care is being selfish and frivolous. Do you feel guilty when you are taking care of yourself? If so this challenge is for you. I believe self care helps you to be selfless and better able to take care of others. If you feel resentful about your commitments its time to take care of yourself. You are like a car running on empty and you need to fill up. When you do you can reconnect with the joy and enjoyment of your daily commitments. You will be a better in all that you do because you now have the energy for those things.
The challenge:
1) Examine your feelings and where you feel struggle in your life. Write down some key words that describe your feelings and struggle. Here are some examples: Do you hate your job? Do you feel resentment towards someone? Did you let yourself down in some way?
2) Close your eyes and relax. Then image your perfect self, job, relationships... This alone is a form of self care. When you let yourself relax and see perfection you are allowing the universal law of attraction to work with; not against you. Don't worry about how to make it happen; just see it in your minds eye.
3) Write down something you can do to take care of yourself. This may be taking a hot bath, going for a walk, getting a massage or facial, doing your nails or planning a fun activity.
What I'm working on:
With my move, my book, co-founding www.healthbeatradio.com, my business, my pets, etc. I have been extra busy and that's not going to change for a while. My nails are broken and I am in desperate need of a haircut, so I will try to find places in my new town to get these services. I found a great yoga studio last week and plan on going back for a few more classes. If I can get the algae out of my pool I will go for a swim and spend time with my pets and my husband. My mom has been here this week which was a huge help with unpacking so today we will be spending most of today out shopping, having dinner and going for a walk on Lido Key.
Make the most out of your week. Have some fun so you can be your best.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Week 16 - Movement
Hello. I find it funny that I had selected movement for this week (back in June) and in fact this is the week after a lot of movement for myself and my family. My husband and I just completed our cross country drive from Portland OR to Sarasota FL with our two chihuahuas and two cats. The trip was a lot of fun and they all enjoyed staying in hotels :)
The reason I selected movement as a challenge is because of it's importance in a variety of ways. You need movement to stay alive; both physical movement and for progression through life. Without movement you would not last very long; it helps you to satisfy basic needs like finding food and shelter, and much more.
Lets talk about physical movement first. When you do not move enough you may notice you get stiff. This is the first sign inertia is setting in. Movement is life. Even when you are physically still in meditation there is a growth opportunity and therefore that is progression (or movement); not inertia. Things with no movement stagnate and die; including your dreams. This leads me to our challenge.
The Challenge:
1) Think about areas of your life where you have stagnated and why.
2) Write down 3 things you can do to bring about positive change in these areas.
3) Commit to a start date and stick with it. The hardest part of inertia is it takes more effort at first to get going. It will get easier.
What I'm working on:
While we drove far and moved into our new home I have not had an opportunity to exercise as much as I would have liked but now the problem is I don't feel like exercising. I'm physically tired and also have other things I feel like I need to do with my time. While I have lots of great positive movement in my life my focus needs to be physical exercise this week. I will start gently. My 3 changes will be long walks outside, short runs on my treadmill and going to a 90 minute yoga class on Wednesday.
Okay that is it! Have fun and enjoy your week.
The reason I selected movement as a challenge is because of it's importance in a variety of ways. You need movement to stay alive; both physical movement and for progression through life. Without movement you would not last very long; it helps you to satisfy basic needs like finding food and shelter, and much more.
Lets talk about physical movement first. When you do not move enough you may notice you get stiff. This is the first sign inertia is setting in. Movement is life. Even when you are physically still in meditation there is a growth opportunity and therefore that is progression (or movement); not inertia. Things with no movement stagnate and die; including your dreams. This leads me to our challenge.
The Challenge:
1) Think about areas of your life where you have stagnated and why.
2) Write down 3 things you can do to bring about positive change in these areas.
3) Commit to a start date and stick with it. The hardest part of inertia is it takes more effort at first to get going. It will get easier.
What I'm working on:
While we drove far and moved into our new home I have not had an opportunity to exercise as much as I would have liked but now the problem is I don't feel like exercising. I'm physically tired and also have other things I feel like I need to do with my time. While I have lots of great positive movement in my life my focus needs to be physical exercise this week. I will start gently. My 3 changes will be long walks outside, short runs on my treadmill and going to a 90 minute yoga class on Wednesday.
Okay that is it! Have fun and enjoy your week.
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