YOUR LIFE A-Z:EXERCISE

NEVER SKIP IT

EXERCISE

EXERCISE is also a great de-stressing tool.  Some of you love to EXERCISE and can’t wait to get to the gym or on your mountain bike.  Others of you hate EXERCISE and have to be forced into doing it.  I would wager that those of you who hate to EXERCISE are EXERCISING for the wrong reasons and doing particular EXERCISES that you just hate.  Before I talk about different types of EXERCISE, let me get clear EXERCISE, whether you like it or not is important to your health.  Thus establish an EXERCISE rule.   The only rule needed is to EXERCISE at least thirty minutes a day whether you like it or not.  The simplest way to EXERCISE is to walk for thirty minutes.  Other than a good pair of walking shoes, walking EXERCISE does not require anything else and almost everyone can do it.  If you can’t walk then you need to discover other ways to EXERCISE.  Stretching is a good choice of EXERCISE and it does not require any fancy equipment.  Learning to make EXERCISE as part of your daily routine is a very important part of self-care.  The goal is to EXERCISE more days a week than not.  EXERCISE will help you stay flexible and healthy as you age.  And unless you die early, you will age.  If you want to get around in a healthy body as you age EXERCISE is important.  Make it your goal to discover an EXERCISE that you don’t hate and then do it on a daily basis.  It is simple.  The only goal is to do it.  Don’t do it to lose weight, do it because you love yourself.

YOUR LIFE A-Z: DE-STRESS

ENJOY THE FLIGHT AND DE-STRESS

DE-STRESS

 I often ask my clients to tell me what they think his/her stress level is like on a scale of 1-10.  When he/she is asked to scale the question I most likely hear the answer 8-10.  If at first I ask the client to detail the stressors in his/her daily life, often I hear, “Well my life is not all that stressful.”  Asking someone to scale the amount of stress is a less invasive question, instead of what is stressing you?  We have talked about many DE-STRESSING tools already but I want to bring you back to the most important tool, which is deep breathing.  To DE-STRESS your body you must learn to relax your entire body.  This is best done with focused attention with your breath from the top of your head to the very tip of your toes.  I suggest you set the timer and begin with five minutes of focused attention breathing in and letting the belly rise and exhaling pulling the belly in against the backbone.  If you lose count just start over until the timer stops.  Learning to DE-STRESS and practicing DE-STRESSING techniques when stress levels are between 3-5 help you prepare to practice correctly when you really need to DE-STRESS.   A really good organic herbal green tea can help the cells feel massaged and restored.  Stress tears our body down at a cellular level and we must repair the body at a cellular level.  DE-STRESSING techniques need to be broad focusing on every angle of your life.  What will you need to do to bring the scale down to a 5-6?  Activate that plan. 

YOUR LIFE A-Z:CULTIVATE

CULTIVATION HAPPENS IN MANY FORMS

CULTIVATE

To CULTIVATE something is to prepare it by working with it in a mindful and careful way that provides the best flourishing environment. CULTIVATING soil for gardening is something most of us can relate too.  A healthy garden comes from healthy soil.  The soil is CULTIVATED with rich mulch and compost and the soil is turned over many times to help the soil breath and the nutrients from the compost to be equally mixed.  CULTIVATING your life requires the same sort of positive attention and energy.  Imagine your life as a beautiful and rich garden full of colorful vegetables and a large variety of colorful flowers.  Think about all of the diversity you want in your garden to create a year round growing season. CULTIVATE inner and outer diversity.  What is missing in your life that you want to plant?  Do you need to add theater or music to CULTIVATE entertainment in your life?  Are you bored with your workout routine and need to CULTIVATE something different by changing to yoga, Pilates, or running?  Is life uninteresting to you?  If so what do you need to CULTIVATE to make it interesting again.  Perhaps it is time for a new hobby, a new wardrobe, or maybe it is time to take a class and learn something new. There are many ways to CULTIVATE rich life and a fertile soul.  What is happening with your spirituality?  Maybe a divine connection needs to be CULTIVATED to bring a sense of purpose to your daily existence?   CULTIVATE so that your days can be rich and colorful.

YOUR LIFE A-Z:BREAKFAST

A HEALTHY CHOICE WHEN EATING OUT

BREAKFAST

The first rule of good physical self-care is to always eat BREAKFAST.  BREAKFAST starts our metabolism for the day and signals the body that it is time to get on with the process or living well.  BREAKFAST is considered by most health experts to be the most important meal of the day.  However, not all BREAKFAST meals are the same, so this is not a license to eat whatever you want. However, it is a license to eat something.  Good BREAKFAST choices are always less than 500 calories and often you can have a good breakfast less than 300 calories.  Portion control is important in all of our meals.  BREAKFAST needs to be balanced with protein choices.  Thus an egg omelet with fresh veggies, yogurt with nuts and berries, apple with peanut butter, whole grain carbs with any of the above can complete the meal for you.  Some of you enjoy variety, so be sure to think ahead and have several healthy choices on hand and pre-plan it the night before so that you get in the habit of making sure you eat before you leave the house or have a breakfast to go ready and waiting for you in the fridge.  Some professionals recommend that you eat protein with your BREAKFAST meal and that you eat within thirty minutes of being up.  If you are not a BREAKFAST eater, then make this meal a priority and keep it simple in order to get into the habit.  The simpler it is for you the more successful you will be. 

YOUR LIFE A-Z:ACHIEVE

AN ACHIEVEMENT DURING LIFE'S JOURNEY

ACHIEVE

ACHIEVE is the perfect word to follow yesterday’s zealous.  What does this emotionally loaded word ACHIEVE mean to you?  Does the word ACHIEVE make you feel energized and create that sense of “just do it,” inside of your being?  Or does the word ACHIEVE come with a mother-load of guilt that chides you with messages of,  “you should have had this accomplished by now?”  Either way, it is time to neutralize the emotional impact of this word and get to work ACHIEVING your dreams.  List three major things you want to ACHIEVE.   Ask yourself by what date and time do you want them ACHIEVED?  Then create a plan of action with specific steps as to how you are going to ACHIEVE the stated goals. Do not try to ACHIEVE these three goals at the same time.  Make one of these goals a priority and get to work on it immediately in order to build a sense of accomplishment.  Examine the why of this goal.  What will it mean to you once it is ACHIEVED?  How will your life be different as a result of ACHIEVING this goal?  Is the difference this goal is going to make enough of a reward for you?  To ACHIEVE your goals takes a zealous energy that speaks deep in your heart, not allowing for obstacles to interrupt you.  There are always obstacles along the path to ACHIEVEMENT.  Obstacles create opportunities to make your ACHIEVEMENT more meaningful.  To ACHIEVE is to thrive and to thrive is be filled with an inner sense of personal ACHIEVEMENT. Go for it.