In its day it was majestic. A large colonial white home with 9 black shuttered windows on each face, two fireplaces holding the walls together, and a brick stoop providing two directions for entry. Today, if you follow the private lane flanked with up-kept homes, deep swimming pools and modern cars to the end you will find a large boxy green shadow of what we are only left to imagine it was. Our imaginations have a sense of humor.
There is a 19-forever-ago Cadillac Eldorado parked in the front yard and its competitor, a diesel Mercedes likely from the same decade, parked in the back (with a three car garage and a driveway fit for a Quinceanera, I'm surprised they missed their marks). A 30 foot shed also resides on the property; its roof resides on the overflowing contents within. Posts mark the border of what was once a kitchen garden and vines are digesting what was once a privacy fence. Even the trees look like they are ignoring the house, for if they haven't been reduced to stumps they are leaning away as if seeking life from all other dwellings. But, in its day it was Majestic.
We intend to live there. There is something beautifully healthy about a big ugly house. Looking forward to bringing it back to life has taken our minds out of our current place and into our future home. If you recall Mrs. Potts singing her directory to the dishes to clean the castle before dinner you'll have a good idea what we sound like here. Our song has 'rid the termites' and 'install a heater', 'fix the plumbing' and 'order a dumpster' in the lyrics, but we are singing none the less. Along with a door that must become a window and two garages of 'stuff' to redirect, it does come with a riding lawn mower (it is about the silver lining, after all... ).
While imagining breakfast at the island and evenings around the fireplace, we are envisioning what will grow there. Veggies, fruits and flowers for sure, but more than that I hope. Our son will walk his first girlfriend home from school. Our daughters will likely be kissed on the stoop. My parents will take to rocking in patio chairs on warm evenings and cool mornings while smelling the brackish river water and listening to sneaky teenage preambles. Will there be chickens pecking the ground? Will we have bird feeders and bat houses and opossum traps? Will we plant flowers in the Eldorado or just around the wheels? A sense of humor indeed.
Vitamins do not live in this post, dear reader, nor do minerals or proteins or examples of sugar by grams, but something as important yet much less tangible is present: joy. In place of food and water vitamins, the soul can be fed with holding onto joy or creating something joyous. Because of my healthy imagination and an Eldorado as a guard dog, my soul, dear reader, is stuffed! I am off to sing my song.... "Sweep the Chimneys!"~"Hang the Stormers."~"Burn the wood pile!"~"Swing the Hammers." "Fix the vent hood."~"Replace the toilets."~"Bring on the movers." Before I go, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Showing posts with label Mental Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mental Health. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Monday, July 14, 2014
Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Spear!"
Half of your elephant is already assembled. Walls have been recognized and established; excuses, obstacles and roadblocks exposed. You have decided what your tree looks like; what you stand for with respect to your individual purpose. You have also identified your snakes; devious ingredients, poisonous menus, self doubt and the like, and life itself. The next piece of the elephant the blind man revealed is the spear. It's time to lance the boil, dear reader; it's time.
Too often we hide behind the 'it's the way we've always done it' mentality. I do it. I am sure you do it as well. "I have always always had that." "I have always done that." "I am not a morning person." "I don't do windows." "This is the way I've always done it." The parameters we assign to ourselves are safety nets utilized when fear or nervousness is felt. The unknown is certainly a scary place! But returning to the same old parameters every time you are faced with a new situation, a dangerous invitation or an elephant in the room requires nothing of you. No growth. No insight. No trust. No faith. No intuition. No light. Nothing.
If that is true, then the results will never be different either. "I wish that work wasn't so stressful." "I wish I had more time with my family." "I wish money wasn't so tight." "I would give anything for a vacation." "I don't know why I can't get things done." "Why is this happening to me?" To be quite honest, dear reader, the answer to it all is usually, "Because this is the way you've always done it." You can't expect change if you change nothing.
Growth, in its simplest definition means to get bigger. I am not suggesting you need to expand your physical presence, but it might be delicious to expand your life's presence. How? Lance the boil! Grab ahold of your spear and slice through your safely placed parameters. Instead of relying on the same old actions, delivering the same old results, give yourself permission to move beyond your boundaries. Redefine what it is you want to become and grow into it!
Now, just as the elephant is assembled from six different perspectives, so are you the sum of your parts; a holistic being. Whatever it is you have decided to grow into, eat real food, give yourself plenty of water, nourish your parts with vitamins and, because lancing boils can be a bloody mess, remember to wash your hands. If this isn't the way you've always done it you are on the right track!
Happy Lancing!
Anna~
Fine tuning your life takes consistent practice. If you are out of practice and want to break free from years of bad habits and stagnant behavior, I can coach you thru it. Visit Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach to schedule a free consultation with me today.
Too often we hide behind the 'it's the way we've always done it' mentality. I do it. I am sure you do it as well. "I have always always had that." "I have always done that." "I am not a morning person." "I don't do windows." "This is the way I've always done it." The parameters we assign to ourselves are safety nets utilized when fear or nervousness is felt. The unknown is certainly a scary place! But returning to the same old parameters every time you are faced with a new situation, a dangerous invitation or an elephant in the room requires nothing of you. No growth. No insight. No trust. No faith. No intuition. No light. Nothing.
If that is true, then the results will never be different either. "I wish that work wasn't so stressful." "I wish I had more time with my family." "I wish money wasn't so tight." "I would give anything for a vacation." "I don't know why I can't get things done." "Why is this happening to me?" To be quite honest, dear reader, the answer to it all is usually, "Because this is the way you've always done it." You can't expect change if you change nothing.
Growth, in its simplest definition means to get bigger. I am not suggesting you need to expand your physical presence, but it might be delicious to expand your life's presence. How? Lance the boil! Grab ahold of your spear and slice through your safely placed parameters. Instead of relying on the same old actions, delivering the same old results, give yourself permission to move beyond your boundaries. Redefine what it is you want to become and grow into it!
Now, just as the elephant is assembled from six different perspectives, so are you the sum of your parts; a holistic being. Whatever it is you have decided to grow into, eat real food, give yourself plenty of water, nourish your parts with vitamins and, because lancing boils can be a bloody mess, remember to wash your hands. If this isn't the way you've always done it you are on the right track!
Happy Lancing!
Anna~
Fine tuning your life takes consistent practice. If you are out of practice and want to break free from years of bad habits and stagnant behavior, I can coach you thru it. Visit Anna Burrill, Your Health Coach to schedule a free consultation with me today.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Assembling your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Snake!"
Snakes: a long limbless reptile that has no eyelids, a short tail, and jaws that are capable of considerable extension. Some snakes have a venomous bite. - Thank you Dictionary. Snakes can be brightly colored and obvious or hidden within their surroundings. Snakes can be beautiful and intriguing or can be defensive and dangerous. Snakes can be larger than life or barely noticeable. No matter their shape, size, coloration or demeanor, all snakes are sneaky.
There are several ways we can apply this to your Elephant. Let's begin with diet. Within your diet are sneaky ingredients that can sabotage even the most ambitious efforts. Aspartame and the like. High fructose corn syrup. Artificial colors and flavors. Sugar. Nitrates. Sulfites. Tartrazine. Sodium benzoate. Even ingredients like E1520 and E620 are snuck in to assist with color, flavor or shelf life. These all but invisible ingredients (dozens more exist) are found within packaged, processed foods products conveniently designed and marketed as natural or healthy. What is E1520 anyway?
There are larger, more obvious food snakes as well. Soda. Ice cream. Fast-Food. Luncheon meat. Breakfast cereal. Powdered cheese sauce. Minute rice. Canned fruit. Bagels. Microwaveable vegetable pouches. Bread. Turkey Bacon (I know I probably lost a few readers on that one). Many of these foods are relatively fine all by themselves if eaten once a month or when in a bind, but if your menu is breakfast cereal and canned fruit for breakfast, a cold cut sandwich with a soda for lunch, and minute rice with steamed, microwaved veggies for dinner and ice cream for dessert, you may be sabotaging your health without even knowing it.
Snakes mightn't be food at all but sneaky behaviors that derail even the most determined train. Self doubt. Complacency. Comparison to others. Excuses. Denial. Fear. These mind sets sneak in and with considerable extension smother determination, dreams, goals, interest, passion, purpose, growth, life and possibility. Sometimes it happens so invisibly over time that it isn't recognized until a bottom is found. The good news is that at any moment you have the ability and courage within you to rid yourself of the snake. It may take more than one foul swoop, but it is possible.
Start with real food. Foods without labels make great snake repellents. Give your vitamins their vitamins by eating many colors and textures and flavors. Wash it all in with water. And, because snakes have a musky odor, remember to wash your hands.
How is your Elephant coming along?
Share your story, ask your questions, or report your progress below. I would love to have a conversation with you!
Anna~
There are several ways we can apply this to your Elephant. Let's begin with diet. Within your diet are sneaky ingredients that can sabotage even the most ambitious efforts. Aspartame and the like. High fructose corn syrup. Artificial colors and flavors. Sugar. Nitrates. Sulfites. Tartrazine. Sodium benzoate. Even ingredients like E1520 and E620 are snuck in to assist with color, flavor or shelf life. These all but invisible ingredients (dozens more exist) are found within packaged, processed foods products conveniently designed and marketed as natural or healthy. What is E1520 anyway?
There are larger, more obvious food snakes as well. Soda. Ice cream. Fast-Food. Luncheon meat. Breakfast cereal. Powdered cheese sauce. Minute rice. Canned fruit. Bagels. Microwaveable vegetable pouches. Bread. Turkey Bacon (I know I probably lost a few readers on that one). Many of these foods are relatively fine all by themselves if eaten once a month or when in a bind, but if your menu is breakfast cereal and canned fruit for breakfast, a cold cut sandwich with a soda for lunch, and minute rice with steamed, microwaved veggies for dinner and ice cream for dessert, you may be sabotaging your health without even knowing it.
Snakes mightn't be food at all but sneaky behaviors that derail even the most determined train. Self doubt. Complacency. Comparison to others. Excuses. Denial. Fear. These mind sets sneak in and with considerable extension smother determination, dreams, goals, interest, passion, purpose, growth, life and possibility. Sometimes it happens so invisibly over time that it isn't recognized until a bottom is found. The good news is that at any moment you have the ability and courage within you to rid yourself of the snake. It may take more than one foul swoop, but it is possible.
Start with real food. Foods without labels make great snake repellents. Give your vitamins their vitamins by eating many colors and textures and flavors. Wash it all in with water. And, because snakes have a musky odor, remember to wash your hands.
How is your Elephant coming along?
Share your story, ask your questions, or report your progress below. I would love to have a conversation with you!
Anna~
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like A Tree!"
Just to the left of the fence around the yard is a grand tree. In the spring it buds full in pink flowers followed by pink foliage and then, delicately, everything turns green. The neighborhood is filled with them actually. In the summer they are noticed for their shade, in the fall they are a nuisance for their leaves, in the winter they are feared when covered with ice amidst the wind, but in the spring they are a great source of pleasure. Large living chameleons able to provide shade, shelter, protection, stability, enjoyment, and satisfaction gracefully, beautifully, rhythmically.
I maybe should have started with this one. Finding health, or finding ways to be more healthy, or finding reasons why you aren't as healthy as you'd like, starts with defining your tree. You embody all of the properties found in the trees about my yard. I am not sure why I thought to start with a Wall that may be in your way before I asked you to appreciate your Tree, except for the fact that
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) said it must be so. If that were my reason, however, this post would be about a Spear. I digress~
I maybe should have started with this one. Finding health, or finding ways to be more healthy, or finding reasons why you aren't as healthy as you'd like, starts with defining your tree. You embody all of the properties found in the trees about my yard. I am not sure why I thought to start with a Wall that may be in your way before I asked you to appreciate your Tree, except for the fact that
John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) said it must be so. If that were my reason, however, this post would be about a Spear. I digress~
You, to the point, are a tree. Assembling your elephant, I remind you, is to look at your life as a sum of its parts. A whole. You are the center of that whole. Everything that happens to you or about you matters when it comes to your health. It matters little how you look in comparison to others; less how others look at you; and, least, your size. A tree does not face a storm comparing itself to other trees, nor does it grow or shrink or hide away from controversy; it simply stands with flexibility and patience and acceptance of the storm.
I remember Shel Silverstein's book vividly when I think of trees; giving every last bit of themselves to make others happy. Imagine if we were so wise. To give what we wanted instead of demanding our desires. To apply ourselves when solving problems instead of waiting on the riverbank for someone else to fetch a floatation device. To reach up for more light and clean air and new rain instead of waiting for service and air conditioning and a turn in the shower. To give in order to be happy. Period.
You are a large, living chameleon able to provide shade, shelter, protection, stability, enjoyment, and satisfaction gracefully, beautifully, rhythmically. You are already in possession of beauty, and grace and strength. You already possess gifts ready to be given and knowledge ready to be shared. The only things that can make you more complete and able are real food, plenty of water, and nature's vitamins. But, just remember, before you approach the world with a broad reach, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Monday, June 16, 2014
Assembling Your Elephant: "It Looks Like a Wall!"
Every time I start something new it's exuberayting, and then, three or four days later, boredom sets in. If I get past the first few weeks, which I often do, I hit a wall, take a break, feel defeated and deflated, then I start something else. (I'm sure this only happens to me.) Walls. The great thing about them is they usually contain a window or lead to a doorway; I am learning to utilize the exits.
Walls exist, I believe, only because I want them to. I dislike running with almost as much energy as it takes me to run. Because of this, I use a 'wall' as an excuse to discontinue or to take a break. To overcome it, I bought a number made of paper so I may pin it to my chest and run thirteen miles as a motivator not to quit.
The same for writing. I love to write and think on paper but I use a 'wall', writers block, as an excuse not to be successful. The truth is that I always have something to write about; there is always a vitamin to describe, a dose of food for thought or encouragement to deploy. Instead of following through on self-set goals, I procrastinate. I am in my own way a lot more than I should be, it's true, and often my excuse is a 'wall'.
What I am coming to realize, though, is that walls aren't permanent. They can be taken down. A window can be added. A wide handicap accessible doorway can be created. If one cannot be removed, it can be painted a beautiful color and used to hang a mirror. Walls are useful when providing support, necessary separation and privacy, but they are not unsurpassable for sure.
I encourage you, dear reader, to decide for yourself what purpose your walls have. Are they keeping you from a goal? Deterring you from success? Separating you from what you desire? Or are they beautiful places utilized for reflection and reprieve? While you begin to decipher the purpose of your wall, grab some real, delicious, naturally occurring food. Wash it in with a tall glass of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Note: Walls should not be mistaken for Stop Signs.
Anna~
If you wish for help assembling your elephant, I can help~ The only things we are truly meant to do alone are poop and play solitaire. For everything else, hire a Health Coach! www.nutritionalcadence.com
Walls exist, I believe, only because I want them to. I dislike running with almost as much energy as it takes me to run. Because of this, I use a 'wall' as an excuse to discontinue or to take a break. To overcome it, I bought a number made of paper so I may pin it to my chest and run thirteen miles as a motivator not to quit.
The same for writing. I love to write and think on paper but I use a 'wall', writers block, as an excuse not to be successful. The truth is that I always have something to write about; there is always a vitamin to describe, a dose of food for thought or encouragement to deploy. Instead of following through on self-set goals, I procrastinate. I am in my own way a lot more than I should be, it's true, and often my excuse is a 'wall'.
What I am coming to realize, though, is that walls aren't permanent. They can be taken down. A window can be added. A wide handicap accessible doorway can be created. If one cannot be removed, it can be painted a beautiful color and used to hang a mirror. Walls are useful when providing support, necessary separation and privacy, but they are not unsurpassable for sure.
I encourage you, dear reader, to decide for yourself what purpose your walls have. Are they keeping you from a goal? Deterring you from success? Separating you from what you desire? Or are they beautiful places utilized for reflection and reprieve? While you begin to decipher the purpose of your wall, grab some real, delicious, naturally occurring food. Wash it in with a tall glass of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Note: Walls should not be mistaken for Stop Signs.
Anna~
If you wish for help assembling your elephant, I can help~ The only things we are truly meant to do alone are poop and play solitaire. For everything else, hire a Health Coach! www.nutritionalcadence.com
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
CRAP? No. FOOD? Yes!
Lunch has always been a slight point of contention around here. Three kids packing their lunch at 6:30 in the morning while I am cleaning up breakfast dishes and Scott is trying to make eggs hasn't been working for awhile. So we have been gradually reorganizing the process of packing lunch. Along with that, we have been dividing kitchen chores as elementary as possible. All in all, I think we have made about 5 essential changes to make our kitchen run without a hitch in the 'giddy-up!"
1. Eat family style meals together and at the same times everyday. Easy, right? Not in our house. Making an effort to eat a 6:20am, 11:30am, and 5:30ish in the evening takes a coordinated effort, for sure, but the benefits of doing so are life changing! Hunger rhythms and blood sugars regulate, family hunger patterns and moods coordinate, meal preparation is predictable, and more is shared than meals.
2. Empty the dishwasher at the same time every day. My in-laws empty theirs first thing in the morning, I empty mine just before dinner, my parents empty theirs after breakfast. Utilizing the dishwasher relieves the kitchen of clutter making meal prep and clean up a much simpler, more concise act.
3. Assign chores to make coming to the table less complex. At meal time, one kid pours the drinks, one kid sets the table, one kid puts the dog in the kennel (almost) like clock work. After meal time one kid clears the table, one kid stores leftovers and one kid loads the dishwasher. Breaking apart multi-step chores gets everyone involved and relieves the cook of multiple tasks as the roast is coming out of the oven or the pots are being diligently scrubbed.
4. Pack lunch after dinner. We have recently adopted the brilliant idea of dividing the leftovers into lunch sized containers immediately following dinner. Everything gets plunked in the fridge, sticky- noted, and paired with a fruit; morning lunch prep is reduced to filling a water bottle with fresh water and grabbing something crunchy for a snack. (Plunk is also one of my favorite words.)
5. Make the available foods 'Yes" foods. Almonds? Yes! Goldfish? No. Clementines? Yes! Cheese Doodles? No. Apples and Peanut Butter? Yes! Doritos and Mountain Dew? No. High sugar, highly processed foods cause mood swings, hunger roller-coasters, and addicted tastebuds. Get rid of the C.R.A.P. and get real F.O.O.D.
You know what to do~
Anna~
Monday, April 14, 2014
Rut Repair
Today is the day to get out of your rut. You know, the same old routine and the same old results. Repairing ruts is a typical spring task so today, begin your own personal rut repair with these five easy tips~
1. Brush your teeth with the other hand. Studies show that switching up basic movements like brushing your teeth, create new neural pathways in the brain. Stimulating your brain can create happiness, efficiency, and spontaneous joy!
2. Breathe deeply. Take a moment 4 or 5 times today to breathe as though your life depends on it. Shallow breathing may be sustainable but your body suffers from it. Take some giant yoga breaths when you wake, before each meal, and before you sleep- deep breathing can also thwart stress. (Thwart is one of my favorite words!)
3. Eliminate the words 'like' and 'um' from your vocabulary. If you wish to compare two things, the word like is permissible; otherwise, remove them altogether. Speaking without filler words will not only challenge your brain to exercise a broader vocabulary, but your posture will improve as well. Give it a try today! As you speak as your smarter, well spoken self, your confidence and posture will certainly perk up!
4. Don't react. Instead, take action. If you are stuck in the "That is the way we've always done it but it really pisses me off" rut, change something. Write a memo, conduct a proposal, constructively state your claim, or keep it to yourself. If you are unwilling to be part of a solution, you too may be part of the problem. (That sounds a little harsh, but I too fall into this rut more often than not.)
5. Ask for what you need. This may sound simple, but standing in the middle of the room passive-aggressively lamenting on how you wish you had help in the house, in the office, in the bedroom, in the garden, or with the trash isn't the same as directly approaching a usable tool and asking for what you need. None of us are mind readers. If you need help, ask for it.
If all else fails, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Repairing a rut can be very dirty work.
Anna~
1. Brush your teeth with the other hand. Studies show that switching up basic movements like brushing your teeth, create new neural pathways in the brain. Stimulating your brain can create happiness, efficiency, and spontaneous joy!
2. Breathe deeply. Take a moment 4 or 5 times today to breathe as though your life depends on it. Shallow breathing may be sustainable but your body suffers from it. Take some giant yoga breaths when you wake, before each meal, and before you sleep- deep breathing can also thwart stress. (Thwart is one of my favorite words!)
3. Eliminate the words 'like' and 'um' from your vocabulary. If you wish to compare two things, the word like is permissible; otherwise, remove them altogether. Speaking without filler words will not only challenge your brain to exercise a broader vocabulary, but your posture will improve as well. Give it a try today! As you speak as your smarter, well spoken self, your confidence and posture will certainly perk up!
4. Don't react. Instead, take action. If you are stuck in the "That is the way we've always done it but it really pisses me off" rut, change something. Write a memo, conduct a proposal, constructively state your claim, or keep it to yourself. If you are unwilling to be part of a solution, you too may be part of the problem. (That sounds a little harsh, but I too fall into this rut more often than not.)
5. Ask for what you need. This may sound simple, but standing in the middle of the room passive-aggressively lamenting on how you wish you had help in the house, in the office, in the bedroom, in the garden, or with the trash isn't the same as directly approaching a usable tool and asking for what you need. None of us are mind readers. If you need help, ask for it.
If all else fails, eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Repairing a rut can be very dirty work.
Anna~
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
You Don't Need to Wait for a Monday to Move!
Yesterday I saw a very clever cartoon of a hefty cheer leader rallying a group of ready and willing winter weight wearers to work off the pounds. "When are we gunna start?" the cheerleader motivates. "On Monday!" replies the rally. The motivator goes on to inform the group, "Today is Monday!" and the group enthusiastically responds, "Next Monday!" Monday is the easiest time to assign yourself a task, for it's after the weekend and is followed by Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday incase Monday doesn't work out. If the action in question is put off until Friday, the next Monday is just around the corner, so you can start then. My suggestions: Stop waiting for Monday~
Waiting until Monday does two things: one, puts further distance between you and your goal, and two, creates distrust for yourself. If you are telling yourself you wish you accomplish any specific thing, avoid the self distrust and begin now. Right Now. If you have a goal to loose weight, get up and take a walk right now. If you have a goal to clear the clutter, take 7 minutes and clear off one table top right now. If you have a goal to run a marathon, find a program and sign up for a race.... right now.
Because you have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you know health and wellness isn't automatic. Environmental invaders, like pesticides, the bird flu and pet dander invade the human body and interrupt the harmonies within. Stimulants increase normal body pressures and decrease hydration levels. Processed foods strain the digestive system and saturate the blood, brain, and liver with toxins. Stress unbalances hormones. Sugar taxes organs. Sleep deprivation adds to stress, blood toxicity, dehydration and hormone imbalance. Your health and wellness is underneath the environmental crud; after the stimulants wear off; above the stress; in the wake of sugar; inside of a deep breath; beyond a good night's sleep. Are you really willing to wait until Monday?
My goals this week included thinking of a name for my health coaching practice. I took my dilemma to work today, and through a conversation with a few very clever women, a potential name was created. I have also been trying to identify specific areas my health coaching practice will cover in order to deliver results to my target market; from that a Grocery Cart Curriculum was born. I still may have arrived at a name and I still may have come up with a curriculum, but not until Monday if I had waited. I am glad I put my fears aside instead of feeding them for four more days.
We are having Chili for dinner. Kendra is in charge of the corn bread, and I have the beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions and spices all stewing away on the stove. Plenty of clean water will fill our cups as we sit down to discuss the daily events in our different corners of the world. We will feed our vitamins with vitamins found in our food and by thoughts of accomplishment and feelings of satisfaction. I encourage you too, dear reader, to wash your hands of fear and waiting and begin nourishing yourself right now... Monday isn't worth the wait!
Anna~
Share your goals with me! I would love to applaud your efforts!
Waiting until Monday does two things: one, puts further distance between you and your goal, and two, creates distrust for yourself. If you are telling yourself you wish you accomplish any specific thing, avoid the self distrust and begin now. Right Now. If you have a goal to loose weight, get up and take a walk right now. If you have a goal to clear the clutter, take 7 minutes and clear off one table top right now. If you have a goal to run a marathon, find a program and sign up for a race.... right now.
My goals this week included thinking of a name for my health coaching practice. I took my dilemma to work today, and through a conversation with a few very clever women, a potential name was created. I have also been trying to identify specific areas my health coaching practice will cover in order to deliver results to my target market; from that a Grocery Cart Curriculum was born. I still may have arrived at a name and I still may have come up with a curriculum, but not until Monday if I had waited. I am glad I put my fears aside instead of feeding them for four more days.
We are having Chili for dinner. Kendra is in charge of the corn bread, and I have the beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions and spices all stewing away on the stove. Plenty of clean water will fill our cups as we sit down to discuss the daily events in our different corners of the world. We will feed our vitamins with vitamins found in our food and by thoughts of accomplishment and feelings of satisfaction. I encourage you too, dear reader, to wash your hands of fear and waiting and begin nourishing yourself right now... Monday isn't worth the wait!
Anna~
Share your goals with me! I would love to applaud your efforts!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
One Small Change
We are nearly into the 3rd month of the year and Spring is arriving. Days are a touch longer. The sun is casting a warmer blanket directing a longer shadow. I can feel the anticipation of the changing season within me just as I can see it on the world. Change, evolution, doesn't happen all at once; instead it is a series of small changes connected together that wow observers and beholders alike. One simple change can align your efforts toward accomplishing your nutritional or lifestyle goals, just as the warmer sun coaxes the trees to bud.
Again, I ask, "What is your goal?" All of us have plans. Weight loss. A Marathon. Reducing Sugar cravings. Balancing the check book. Clearing clutter. Starting a business. Goals are individual aspirations that deliver a sense of belonging in the world; aspirations should not be ignored or discredited for aspirations come from intuition. Intuition, by definition, is the ability to understand something without the need for conscious reasoning. As you identify your goals, listen to your intuition- you will then realize a path of least resistance to deliver you to your desires.
I have much going on in my world these days. I work 4 hours a day during the school week. I am in module 14 of 40 perusing a health coaching career through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Because of my commitment to achieving my certificate, I have morning meetings, lectures to absorb, health history practices to schedule, and a program to structure. I have a goal of delivering a healthy lunch lecture to the Middletown Public School System, possibly in March, which I need to construct and have approved. I also have kids, a husband, a dog, a puppy, a cat, bills, a household to manage and myself to take care of. No one ever said perusing goals was easy.
Following a path takes energy. Positive energy, physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy, love, and intuition. Energy is derived from water, sleep and the food you eat. I believe that food is the foundation of all other things; if your body is nourished, your mind is hydrated and your soul is fed, then all things are possible through defining desires and demanding them to be true. Each of us is worth living in our purpose, dear reader, and each of us has the power to evolve into ourselves!
While you describe your desires and tune in to your intuition, grab some real, whole, naturally occurring food. Wash in the nutrients with plenty of clean water. Pick your foods from colorful produce, crunchy nuts, soft fruit, tart berries, sweet honey, deep roots, delicate greens and local meat to ensure your vitamins get their vitamins. Wash your hands of fear and take one small step into the familiar unknown of your intuition. As you bud, and then bloom, you will coax those around you to do the same... all it takes is one small change...
Anna~
Again, I ask, "What is your goal?" All of us have plans. Weight loss. A Marathon. Reducing Sugar cravings. Balancing the check book. Clearing clutter. Starting a business. Goals are individual aspirations that deliver a sense of belonging in the world; aspirations should not be ignored or discredited for aspirations come from intuition. Intuition, by definition, is the ability to understand something without the need for conscious reasoning. As you identify your goals, listen to your intuition- you will then realize a path of least resistance to deliver you to your desires.
I have much going on in my world these days. I work 4 hours a day during the school week. I am in module 14 of 40 perusing a health coaching career through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Because of my commitment to achieving my certificate, I have morning meetings, lectures to absorb, health history practices to schedule, and a program to structure. I have a goal of delivering a healthy lunch lecture to the Middletown Public School System, possibly in March, which I need to construct and have approved. I also have kids, a husband, a dog, a puppy, a cat, bills, a household to manage and myself to take care of. No one ever said perusing goals was easy.
Following a path takes energy. Positive energy, physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy, love, and intuition. Energy is derived from water, sleep and the food you eat. I believe that food is the foundation of all other things; if your body is nourished, your mind is hydrated and your soul is fed, then all things are possible through defining desires and demanding them to be true. Each of us is worth living in our purpose, dear reader, and each of us has the power to evolve into ourselves!
While you describe your desires and tune in to your intuition, grab some real, whole, naturally occurring food. Wash in the nutrients with plenty of clean water. Pick your foods from colorful produce, crunchy nuts, soft fruit, tart berries, sweet honey, deep roots, delicate greens and local meat to ensure your vitamins get their vitamins. Wash your hands of fear and take one small step into the familiar unknown of your intuition. As you bud, and then bloom, you will coax those around you to do the same... all it takes is one small change...
Anna~
Friday, January 17, 2014
I Wonder What the Cat will Say?
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| Nameless Black Puppy Boy Dec- 2013 - 3 Weeks Old Mama Yellow Lab in the background. |
The house is ready. We have a large dog kennel propped up in the corner partitioned off to puppy size. Chew toys, puppy shampoo, treats, collar and leash all rest in a basket awaiting their owner. We have had 6 weeks to get ready for him but we still can't decide on a name. Four of us agree on a couple of different names, but there is always one lone wolf in the pack thwarting our naming efforts with Veto power (I swear his name will end up being Veto).
This doesn't have a lick to do with food, I know. We are not going to eat the puppy, nor are we going to let him join us at the table, but health is a multifaceted application. Joy. Love. Affection. Kindness. Consideration. Exercise. Boundaries. A spouse, child, friend, relative, neighbor, or a dog can bring all of these essential ingredients to the table.
 |
| Jan, 2014 - 5.5 weeks old |
Monday I will get back to real, naturally occurring food, I will discuss the importance of water, I may even present a vitamin or two. Until then I will be playing on the floor with puppies, laughing at our children as they witness silly milestones, teaching manors and cleaning up accidents. Don't worry, I will certainly remember to wash my hands...
Have a Great Weekend!
Anna~
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Throw Back Thursday: Are Labels Healthy?
From April 9th, 2013, which was actually a Tuesday, but I like the message so much it is worth tagging in a Thursday Throwback~
Let's be realistic. There is no need to sugar coat or complicate the fact that we all apply labels to the people around us and to ourselves. They are automatic. She is beautiful. He is Successful. She is a Failure. He is a Con Artist. I am Angry. You are Perfect. My sister is a Health-nut! All of theses thoughts and words go through our heads and out of our mouths daily. We are Labelers!
Labels are one of three things: harmful, helpful, or indifferent. If you keep your labels to yourself they probably fall into the indifferent category, but you may be placing these labels in order to empower or disempower yourself; harmful. "I am thinner than her, so I'm okay." "She is much more successful than I, so I must be a failure!" We label to quantify and categorize objects (in this case, people) in order to rhetorically place ourselves between them on an imaginary, ever changing totem pole of assumption.
Helpful labels encourage others while they encourage ourselves. If you are placing labels on others to make them feel better while making yourself feel worse, stop. Compliments and positive observations are important. So is constructive criticism. Give others a boost. Pay others compliments. Be observant of an other's abilities and empower them to expose their talents to the world. But, while you lift others up, do not compare your own abilities and talents to theirs. If an other possesses a talent or ability it is worthy of recognition. Period.
Harmful labels are completely unnecessary. Assigning a detrimental label to another in order to control or contain an other's success or happiness is just plain mean. Placing limiting labels on yourself that contain or inhibit your own happiness interrupts growth! Don't do that! We all, at one time or another, succeed. We all fail. We all lie, we con, we help, we dream, we yell, we soar. Does that mean I am a Liar? No. A Failure? No. A Dreamer? I don't think that applies either.
Remember, the labels we apply to others and to ourselves allow a behavior to be acceptable. If you have labeled yourself as Shy you have given yourself permission to be Shy. Don't like the label? Undo it by choosing to be more out-going when the opportunity presents itself. Wondering how your label reads? Introduce yourself to someone new... and listen to the words that come out of your mouth. You will be face to face with the labels you wear and you can then decide if they fit or if they don't.
You know what to do... and remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Let's be realistic. There is no need to sugar coat or complicate the fact that we all apply labels to the people around us and to ourselves. They are automatic. She is beautiful. He is Successful. She is a Failure. He is a Con Artist. I am Angry. You are Perfect. My sister is a Health-nut! All of theses thoughts and words go through our heads and out of our mouths daily. We are Labelers!
Labels are one of three things: harmful, helpful, or indifferent. If you keep your labels to yourself they probably fall into the indifferent category, but you may be placing these labels in order to empower or disempower yourself; harmful. "I am thinner than her, so I'm okay." "She is much more successful than I, so I must be a failure!" We label to quantify and categorize objects (in this case, people) in order to rhetorically place ourselves between them on an imaginary, ever changing totem pole of assumption.
Helpful labels encourage others while they encourage ourselves. If you are placing labels on others to make them feel better while making yourself feel worse, stop. Compliments and positive observations are important. So is constructive criticism. Give others a boost. Pay others compliments. Be observant of an other's abilities and empower them to expose their talents to the world. But, while you lift others up, do not compare your own abilities and talents to theirs. If an other possesses a talent or ability it is worthy of recognition. Period.
Harmful labels are completely unnecessary. Assigning a detrimental label to another in order to control or contain an other's success or happiness is just plain mean. Placing limiting labels on yourself that contain or inhibit your own happiness interrupts growth! Don't do that! We all, at one time or another, succeed. We all fail. We all lie, we con, we help, we dream, we yell, we soar. Does that mean I am a Liar? No. A Failure? No. A Dreamer? I don't think that applies either.
Remember, the labels we apply to others and to ourselves allow a behavior to be acceptable. If you have labeled yourself as Shy you have given yourself permission to be Shy. Don't like the label? Undo it by choosing to be more out-going when the opportunity presents itself. Wondering how your label reads? Introduce yourself to someone new... and listen to the words that come out of your mouth. You will be face to face with the labels you wear and you can then decide if they fit or if they don't.
You know what to do... and remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Intent
September brings children back to school, color to the leaves, cool to the water, depth to the sunset and soup to the table. It is a month covered in crafts because of an empty house. A month captured in photographs of fresh starts and late evenings. A month filled with ambition evident on every campus and courtyard and in every cafe and coffee shop. September is the beginning of fall. The end of summer. A physical and transformative month of change. Reader, let's follow September's example!
Recently I read a book full of suggestions on how to take responsibility for my own situation. I was taken a back a bit by the notion that I was/am/will be to blame for my own circumstances (good or bad). My problems are my problems. I am responsible for where I am- if I am unwilling to take responsibility than I am essentially giving away all of the power I would otherwise put toward finding a solution to my problems. After all of this smoldered a bit, I started to hear all of the moments where I have given away my power: "I'll wait until Monday." "When I'm feeling stronger." "After I know what 'they' think." "It's my fault." "I should have, would have, could have if..." I realize, just as I find beauty in the changing season and welcome a different sense of surroundings, so can I find comfort in intentionally changing my own actions, moments of decision and efforts of consideration.
A few weeks ago I lamented my thoughts on getting back into 'section x' of the closet. In that post I stated, "The best way to define 'the thing' you would love to do is to sit down and think of a time in your past when you felt productive, happy, challenged, healthy, and empowered. If you have already felt those feelings about an activity or lifestyle in the past, you can and are able to rediscover those same achievements in your future." As we grow, we change and adapt to each situation that affects our own lives. We adopt a new behavior here, shed a piece of ourselves there. Waffle on a decision here, share a responsibility there. We become a different version of the selves we know as our fundamental self. I find in times of reflection and identification I am generally happy with the version of self that I have become. At the same time I find I need to be more effective at owning my definition and identity with intention. Doesn't that sound healthy? Being intent?
The seasons change not because of intention but because they are cyclical. Automatic. Expected. Anticipated, even. Enjoying the ever-changing yet steady world around us is comfortable, but living and loving in health should be intentional. Purposeful. A direct result of the decisions that we have made based on an education derived from past decisions whether they were successful or not. Waiting for the same old decisions to feel different because of a seasonal or cyclical environmental change isn't intention, it's inaction. Making a choice based on the fact that "I have always ......" is the exact opposite of making a decision. Intention is defined as both 'a thing intended; an aim or a plan', and 'the healing process of a wound'. Yes, that sounds healthy. Intent.
Eat real food. Drink plenty of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins and remember to wash your hands. And, for a change, be intent.
Anna~
Recently I read a book full of suggestions on how to take responsibility for my own situation. I was taken a back a bit by the notion that I was/am/will be to blame for my own circumstances (good or bad). My problems are my problems. I am responsible for where I am- if I am unwilling to take responsibility than I am essentially giving away all of the power I would otherwise put toward finding a solution to my problems. After all of this smoldered a bit, I started to hear all of the moments where I have given away my power: "I'll wait until Monday." "When I'm feeling stronger." "After I know what 'they' think." "It's my fault." "I should have, would have, could have if..." I realize, just as I find beauty in the changing season and welcome a different sense of surroundings, so can I find comfort in intentionally changing my own actions, moments of decision and efforts of consideration.
A few weeks ago I lamented my thoughts on getting back into 'section x' of the closet. In that post I stated, "The best way to define 'the thing' you would love to do is to sit down and think of a time in your past when you felt productive, happy, challenged, healthy, and empowered. If you have already felt those feelings about an activity or lifestyle in the past, you can and are able to rediscover those same achievements in your future." As we grow, we change and adapt to each situation that affects our own lives. We adopt a new behavior here, shed a piece of ourselves there. Waffle on a decision here, share a responsibility there. We become a different version of the selves we know as our fundamental self. I find in times of reflection and identification I am generally happy with the version of self that I have become. At the same time I find I need to be more effective at owning my definition and identity with intention. Doesn't that sound healthy? Being intent?
The seasons change not because of intention but because they are cyclical. Automatic. Expected. Anticipated, even. Enjoying the ever-changing yet steady world around us is comfortable, but living and loving in health should be intentional. Purposeful. A direct result of the decisions that we have made based on an education derived from past decisions whether they were successful or not. Waiting for the same old decisions to feel different because of a seasonal or cyclical environmental change isn't intention, it's inaction. Making a choice based on the fact that "I have always ......" is the exact opposite of making a decision. Intention is defined as both 'a thing intended; an aim or a plan', and 'the healing process of a wound'. Yes, that sounds healthy. Intent.
Eat real food. Drink plenty of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins and remember to wash your hands. And, for a change, be intent.
Anna~
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Indulgence is NOT a Four-Letter-Word!
I suppose it isn't one thing that disrupts the balance of health. The glass of red wine doesn't do much damage. A small bowl of ice cream can be forgiven, forgotten. The 'three hours on the couch because it's Monday' can be overlooked, I am sure. The french toast for breakfast can even be enjoyable with health unscathed if it's an infrequent indulgence. But what happens if it's always Monday, it's always french toast, it's always 'just a small bowl of ice cream', it's a large glass of red wine and life is always watched on a screen from the couch? Of course that is not the case, I am sure, but what if the latter scenario is closer to the truth than we care to admit?
Indulgence doesn't have to be looked at as a 'bad word'. Health is mostly based on how we feel. If watching a movie makes you feel rested and insightful, watch away! If writing feeds your mind and helps you feel productive, type your fingers off! If ice-cream is your reward for getting through three meals of dishes and several backpacks worth of home-work, dig in! What we all need to be aware of is how much of each reward we allow ourselves to enjoy. Indulgence is necessary; over-indulgence is dangerous.
How do your decadent retreats realistically impact your health? (A very personal question, indeed!) Happiness has vast health benefits. Joy is immeasurably good for you. Peace is healing. Rest is essential. Knowledge is fortifying. Risk is also an invigorating, appropriate, energy surging piece of the 'health in balance' equation. Damage to your health comes from complacency, ignorance, laziness, and stress. I encourage all of you to find activities, foods, books, hobbies, friends and locations that bring you peace, joy, laughter, and knowledge~ leave the rest on the couch as you live your life. Don't start tomorrow... start right now!
Start by eating real, naturally occurring foods, give your vitamins their vitamins, wash it in with water, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. You are the only one who can decide whether to be still, to be angry, to be joyful, to be bitter, to be lazy, to be positive, to be courageous... you decide your mood, your ability, your behavior! What great power you have~
Anna~
Indulgence doesn't have to be looked at as a 'bad word'. Health is mostly based on how we feel. If watching a movie makes you feel rested and insightful, watch away! If writing feeds your mind and helps you feel productive, type your fingers off! If ice-cream is your reward for getting through three meals of dishes and several backpacks worth of home-work, dig in! What we all need to be aware of is how much of each reward we allow ourselves to enjoy. Indulgence is necessary; over-indulgence is dangerous.
How do your decadent retreats realistically impact your health? (A very personal question, indeed!) Happiness has vast health benefits. Joy is immeasurably good for you. Peace is healing. Rest is essential. Knowledge is fortifying. Risk is also an invigorating, appropriate, energy surging piece of the 'health in balance' equation. Damage to your health comes from complacency, ignorance, laziness, and stress. I encourage all of you to find activities, foods, books, hobbies, friends and locations that bring you peace, joy, laughter, and knowledge~ leave the rest on the couch as you live your life. Don't start tomorrow... start right now!
Start by eating real, naturally occurring foods, give your vitamins their vitamins, wash it in with water, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. You are the only one who can decide whether to be still, to be angry, to be joyful, to be bitter, to be lazy, to be positive, to be courageous... you decide your mood, your ability, your behavior! What great power you have~
Anna~
Monday, June 3, 2013
More about You!
As the weather gets warmer clothing covers less of what we want to tone up and slim down. It is more difficult to hide the neglected areas when bathing suits are required or when jogging shorts are worn out. I am not talking only about shaving the winter growth off of the calves and trimming back the bikini lines; I am talking about trimming the fat off the winter feast! Many of you started months ago as the New Year's Resolution decided your fitness fate, but for the rest of you, now is the time to take it off!
How? If you are stuck in a rut and in an uncomfortable weight, don't continue repeating all of the same, ineffective strategies. Do not purchase pills that promise a smaller something-or-other. Do not fast and binge and banish food groups. Do not participate in a diet that limits you to weeks of cabbage soup. And, whatever you do, do not adhere to the fallacy that 'nothing works!' Fad diets and pills may temporarily tease your satisfaction, but as the pounds pile back on after the diet is over your discouragement should lead you to a more wholesome truth: In order to change, you must change... that means more than changing your diet.
So what can you do? Several posts back I talked about stress, sleep and satisfaction. These three areas significantly affect your health (and your waste line). Stress releases hormones that interfere and influence hunger, cravings and blood sugar levels. The human body runs on sugar, stress makes sure there is an abundance of it swimming through your veins. That can become extremely addictive. Reducing or eliminating stress can dramatically change what it is your body is craving and how it is processing those foods. Give yourself permission to let go of stress. Adopt a mantra, find time to pray, dedicate time to meditation, have more sex (responsibly, of course): find a replacement for stress that doesn't sabotage your health.
Get seven or eight hours of sleep. When our phones are dead we charge them 100% before use. We make sure we cook chicken long enough so it doesn't cause an illness. When the dishwasher is running we wait until it is finished before putting away the dishes. We don't eat half baked bread, we don't wear half dry clothes, we don't use ice until it's frozen- why would you use your body and mind before it's had a chance to recharge, rejuvenate, and heal? Relieving yourself of stress can help you sleep, getting more sleep can help regulate your systems, regulating your systems promotes and creates balanced health.
After you decide what you can change and after you get a good night's sleep, wake up to a breakfast of real, naturally occurring food. Eggs! Grapefruit! Spinach! Take a vitamin! Drink a liter of water! Don't stress over all of the things you can't do and embrace all of the things you can do! You are in control of everything that goes in to your body and in control of all of the situations you put your body in. But, just incase you need the reminder, remember to wash your hands~
Anna~
How? If you are stuck in a rut and in an uncomfortable weight, don't continue repeating all of the same, ineffective strategies. Do not purchase pills that promise a smaller something-or-other. Do not fast and binge and banish food groups. Do not participate in a diet that limits you to weeks of cabbage soup. And, whatever you do, do not adhere to the fallacy that 'nothing works!' Fad diets and pills may temporarily tease your satisfaction, but as the pounds pile back on after the diet is over your discouragement should lead you to a more wholesome truth: In order to change, you must change... that means more than changing your diet.
So what can you do? Several posts back I talked about stress, sleep and satisfaction. These three areas significantly affect your health (and your waste line). Stress releases hormones that interfere and influence hunger, cravings and blood sugar levels. The human body runs on sugar, stress makes sure there is an abundance of it swimming through your veins. That can become extremely addictive. Reducing or eliminating stress can dramatically change what it is your body is craving and how it is processing those foods. Give yourself permission to let go of stress. Adopt a mantra, find time to pray, dedicate time to meditation, have more sex (responsibly, of course): find a replacement for stress that doesn't sabotage your health.
Get seven or eight hours of sleep. When our phones are dead we charge them 100% before use. We make sure we cook chicken long enough so it doesn't cause an illness. When the dishwasher is running we wait until it is finished before putting away the dishes. We don't eat half baked bread, we don't wear half dry clothes, we don't use ice until it's frozen- why would you use your body and mind before it's had a chance to recharge, rejuvenate, and heal? Relieving yourself of stress can help you sleep, getting more sleep can help regulate your systems, regulating your systems promotes and creates balanced health.
After you decide what you can change and after you get a good night's sleep, wake up to a breakfast of real, naturally occurring food. Eggs! Grapefruit! Spinach! Take a vitamin! Drink a liter of water! Don't stress over all of the things you can't do and embrace all of the things you can do! You are in control of everything that goes in to your body and in control of all of the situations you put your body in. But, just incase you need the reminder, remember to wash your hands~
Anna~
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Challenges; Challengers!
Challenge: a call to take part in a contest or the act of engaging in a competition. Getting out of bed in the morning, completing a day of work, running a 10K, climbing Mt. Fuji and getting along with your mother-in-law all qualify as challenges. Eating a whole foods diet. Exercising on a regular basis. Taking care of your own mental health. Nurturing your own emotional and sexual needs. Education. Challenges are faced, overcome, or ignored depending on one catalyst: you!
Our middle child is doing a non-fiction report in her fourth-grade classroom this week; Henry Ford is her subject. One of his quotes that found its way onto her story board is, "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." This has been ringing in my ears for days now applicable to almost every decision, trivial or significant, I make throughout the day. Can I run 5 miles? Can I get the laundry done? Will I have dinner ready on time? Do I have time for myself? Can I add guitar lessons and a nutrition class to my schedule? Am I able... ? The outcome is usually certain before any task begins based on my own belief in my own abilities. Whether I think I can or I can't, I am right.
Challenger: one who competes against another in a competition or contest. It is socially acceptable to compete with others in many different arenas around the globe. Football, soccer, gymnastics, glee, battle of the bands, chess, debate. Other challenges are against abstract opponents; a thyroid disorder, insulin dependence, depression, an unhappy spouse, a difficult course or class, a dissatisfying job, weight, health insurance, an underwater mortgage. Nothing is harder to battle than the challengers we battle emotionally and physically at once.
Abstract challengers are arguably the most difficult to overcome. "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." Can you lose weight? Can you beef up your education to get a fulfilling job? Can you eat better food in order to rid yourself of disease? Can you become less dependent on your doctor and more dependent on nutrition? Can you find happiness within yourself? Are you able... ?
Defining challenges and challengers is certainly an important part of any growth or health plan. Remembering that you are your biggest challenge and, you, your biggest challenger is the most important piece of tactical information needed to overcome any and all opponents. You decide to forgive, to try, to learn, to eat, to sleep, to smile, and to love yourself and others, or you decide not to. I encourage you to eat food that fuels and nourishes your body, to drink water to nurture your health, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to wash your hands of doubt and obstinance. Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right!
Anna~
Our middle child is doing a non-fiction report in her fourth-grade classroom this week; Henry Ford is her subject. One of his quotes that found its way onto her story board is, "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." This has been ringing in my ears for days now applicable to almost every decision, trivial or significant, I make throughout the day. Can I run 5 miles? Can I get the laundry done? Will I have dinner ready on time? Do I have time for myself? Can I add guitar lessons and a nutrition class to my schedule? Am I able... ? The outcome is usually certain before any task begins based on my own belief in my own abilities. Whether I think I can or I can't, I am right.
Challenger: one who competes against another in a competition or contest. It is socially acceptable to compete with others in many different arenas around the globe. Football, soccer, gymnastics, glee, battle of the bands, chess, debate. Other challenges are against abstract opponents; a thyroid disorder, insulin dependence, depression, an unhappy spouse, a difficult course or class, a dissatisfying job, weight, health insurance, an underwater mortgage. Nothing is harder to battle than the challengers we battle emotionally and physically at once.
Abstract challengers are arguably the most difficult to overcome. "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." Can you lose weight? Can you beef up your education to get a fulfilling job? Can you eat better food in order to rid yourself of disease? Can you become less dependent on your doctor and more dependent on nutrition? Can you find happiness within yourself? Are you able... ?
Defining challenges and challengers is certainly an important part of any growth or health plan. Remembering that you are your biggest challenge and, you, your biggest challenger is the most important piece of tactical information needed to overcome any and all opponents. You decide to forgive, to try, to learn, to eat, to sleep, to smile, and to love yourself and others, or you decide not to. I encourage you to eat food that fuels and nourishes your body, to drink water to nurture your health, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to wash your hands of doubt and obstinance. Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right!
Anna~
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