Author: admin

  • Time For Self Newsletter July, 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter July, 2018

    Worry Myths

    Choose Wonder Over Worry by Amber Rae

    As we turn toward our voices of fear, shame, envy, imposter syndrome, comparison, and perfectionism, we’re moving in the direction of joy, beauty, magic, flow, love and wonder.  As we peel back the layers of our conditioning to connect with our truest truth, there are the three C’s – Courage, Curiosity, and Compassion – who are here to be our guides.  I like to think of them as Wonder’s sidekicks.

    The Three C’s To See Yourself More Clearly

    1.  Courage – Discomfort is a call to be courageous.  Courage is not the absence of discomfort; courage requires discomfort. Courage walks hand-in-hand with discomfort as we unravel our worry myths to discover who we truly are.  Courage says, “This is messy.  This is scary.  I kind of don’t want to go there.  But I’m going to go there anyway.  I know it’ll make me more me.”
    2. Curiosity – Curiosity is the art of noticing that we’re feeling something – we’re triggered, our emotional world is on fire, our body feels tense and tight, something is off-centered – and then wondering how those feelings are connected to a belief or thought.  Curiosity says, “What were you thinking about when you felt that?  What story were you telling yourself?  What was the trigger?  Where does that belief come from?”
    3.   Compassion – Diving into the patterns that stifle us can feel uneasy at first.  This when self-compassion is key.  Compassion say, “You are human.  You are loved.  I’m here for you – no matter what.”  We are all a product of generations of deep-seated stories, and w’re all doing the best we know how based on our own level of awareness.  Compassion reminds us to cultivate empathy for ourselves and others because we’re all navigating our own damaging patterns of unworthiness, shame, guilt, resentment, and pain.

    With Courage, curiosity, and compassion by your side, every moment becomes an opportunity to see yourself more clearly.  An invitation to step into the wholeness of who you are.

     

    Aging

    Living in the Now by Gina Lake

    Aging is one of the things the ego rails against because, to the ego, aging means loss – loss of beauty, strength, energy, and abilities.  The ego doesn’t see what is gained by aging, which is much more valuable than any of those other things.  What is gained is wisdom, patience, understanding, compassion, and love.  Isn’t that like the ego to see only one side of things?

    You might argue that not everyone becomes more wise, loving, and patient as they age.  That would be true, at least perhaps in a particular lifetime.    But as we evolve over many lifetimes, we do become wiser and more loving, and aging is one of the ways that happens.  As we lose the things ego loves, it is humbled, and the suffering motivates us to find other ways to be happy.   When we get older, we need to discover how to be happy even when the ego doesn’t have what it wants, and that’s the great lesson of life!

    Aging is relative, of course.  Eighty year olds refer to sixty year-olds as young, and they are, fro that perspective.  Aging is a matter of perspective, a matter of what we compare ourselves with.  Most people suffer over aging because they compare themselves with their former, more more youthful self, which they will never be again.  Whatif you compared yourself, instead, to your future self?  Then the self that you are now comes out looking pretty good!  One simple way to overcoming the ego’s suffering over aging is just to realize that you are as young right now as you will ever be!  What a blessing.

    Why waste time and energy – life – bemoaning the fact that you aren’t what you were?  The ego loves to do that.  It loves to create problems,

    Aging is the universal challenge:  No one who lives long escapes it.  As a result, a lot of wisdom about aging exists to draw upon.  Unfortunately, some people never let go of their ego’s perspective, and they suffer all the way to death.

    Those who suffer over aging usually spend a great deal of time and energy looking in the mirror, thinking about aging, and trying to do something about it.

    What we put our attention on becomes our reality.  Giving our looks and the aging process a lot of attention creates a particular experience of life, one that has considerable suffering, since going to battle with aging is a losing battle.

    Whenever you focus on the me, you suffer.  It’s a simple as that.  Aging can be an  opportunity to finally give up that focus and give your attention to something more fulfilling.  Focusing on the me is a stage of life.  As we mature, we realize what makes for real happiness.  That is the gift of aging, and it’s the most precious realization.  Then, aging stops mattering.  You see that you never were the me that worried so much about what you looked like anyway.  That was just your ego.  What a wonderful discover!  Then you are free to just live, without having to cater to the me anymore.

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    Worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening it just stops your from enjoying the good.

    Don’t think too much.  You’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.

    99% of things you worry about never happen.

    The greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what other people think.

    Aging is an attitude

    I’m aging like fine wine.  I’m getting complex and fruity

    “I have reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don’t have to.”

    “My favorite age is now.”

    Never let your fear decide your future.

     

  • Time For Self Newsletter June 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter June 2018

    Great Benefits by Staying in the Present Moment

    Living in the Now by Gina Lake

    It all boils down to now, this moment.  The experience you are having right now is it.  The present moment is life – it’s what is real.  And the moment is just what it is.  You can pile all the thoughts, feelings, and imaginations you want into this moment are still just this.  And no matter how much or how little money you have, how youthful or old you are, how talented or untalented you are, how successful or unsuccessful you are, you still have just this moment.  No billionaire has any more or less of this moment.  People try to dress this moment up in ideas, but it still comes down to just this simple moment.  You can love it or hate it, but you still just have this moment.

    The ego is always trying to improve on the present moment, but instead, it ruins it with its dissatisfaction.  It tells us the present moment would be better if:  “If I had more money, If I were in a relationship, if I were thinner, if I were better looking, if I lived somewhere else, if that hadn’t happened, if I hadn’t, if I had, “ and on and non.  Those are all lies.  None of those things change your experience of the moment unless you believe they do.  If you believe you need anything else to be happy, you won’t enjoy the moment.  You won’t really let yourself fully experience it.  If you don’t believe you need anything more to be happy than what’s here right now, you discover you have everything you need.

    You don’t need anything more than the experience you have having right now.  It’s enough.  It’s plenty.  It’s perfect just as it is.  It was designed for you, given to you.  All you have to do and all you had to do is accept this gift.  Take it and let it in.  Let your self experience the present moment just as it is.  It doesn’t get any better than this.  That is the simple truth the ego refuses to accept, and it will suffer as long as that is the case.

    No amount of spiritual seeking will ever make a difference unless you accept this simple fact:  This is it.  Seeking promises much more – the constant bliss the ego is after, which will never be, not in this dimension.  This isn’t bad news but really good news.  Its bad news to the ego because the ego is convinced that the present moment isn’t good enough and that it can’t be happy yet.  But it’s very good news for the you who is waking up out of the ego:  There’s something else here besides the ego’s striving and dissatisfaction.

    Peace and happiness are right here, right now for everyone– anyone, that is, who willing to ignore the ego’s dream of glory, success, and unending happiness and pleasure.  The ego’s dreams are just that, and they keep us from being present to life just as it is and discovering what a gift it is just as it is.

    The ego can get really angry when confronted with the truth.  It doesn’t want life to be the way it is!  That is the perennial problem and why people suffer so – they take on the ego’s [point of view.  But if you just let yourself drop out of the egoic mind and into the experience you having right her, right now, you can discover a quiet peace and contentment that’s beyond the ego, which can be your ongoing experience of life.

    This that you are is always content.  When you aren’t paying attention to the ego’s dreams, desires, and discontentment, there is an opportunity to discover what’s content with this life.  That is the real you.  You are meant to be happy, not because you have attained or achieved something, but because it’s possible to experience the ever-present happiness of your true self.  It has always been possible for you to be happy; it’s only a matter of discovering who or what is always happy.

    Does Clutter Make You Fat?

    The Habit Fix by Eileen Rose Giadone

    We all collect things for so many reason.  I might need those someday.  My children will want these when they are older.  When I lose ten pounds, these will fit great?  Some items have sentimental value.  Sometimes it’s just he thought of throwing away something that cost you good money, even though you haven’t touched it for a year.

    Sometimes we just hat to admit to ourselves that purchasing it was a mistake.  But hanging onto what we don’t need can cause us to hang on to old habits, too.

    The cause and effect of clutter in our lives is a hot topic right now.  New research on clutter and how it negatively affects us, mentally and physically, has revealed just how powerfully clutter can influence our health and general happiness.  There are a host of new books and informative blogs aimed at helping us break the habit of collecting and holding onto items that add to the disorganization of our homes and lives.  Developing the keystone habit of avoiding clutter can do wonders for your overall well-being.

    Neuroscientists at Princeton University looked at the task performance results from those in an organized environment verses those in a disorganized environment.  The study showed that physical clutter in your surrounds competes for your attention, resulting in decreased performance and increased stress.  In other words, clutter in your surrounds correlates to clutter in your mind.

     

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    If truth doesn’t set you free, generosity of spirit will  – Katerine Stoykova Klemer –

    Mixing humour and harsh reality is very human behaviour, it’s the way people stay sane in their daily life  –  Jorge Garcia –

    There are two ways of meeting difficulties.  You alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them.  – Phyllis Bottome –

    People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile.  – Lee Mildon –

    Always laugh when you can.  It’s cheap medicine.  – Lord Byron –

    Strength does not come fromphysical capacity.  It comes from a indomitable will.  – Mahatma Gandhi –

     

     

     

  • Time For Self Newsletter May 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter May 2018

    Be Happy With All Progress

    Mini Habits:  Smaller Habits, Bigger Results by Stephen Guise

     

    Being happy with small progress is different from having low standards.  There’s a quote by Bruce Lee that sums it up:  “Be happy, but never satisfied.”  Bruce Lee did more with his limited lifetime of 32 years than two typical people do with 80 years each, so I listen to him.

    In Derek Sivers” TED Talk, he showed a video of a man dancing in a field at an outdoor event.  The man looked a bit silly out there by himself, dancing wildly to the music.  After a few seconds of dancing, another person jointed him.  Then there were two.  After another several seconds, another person joined them.  And then another.  And when the group reached about 10 people, a giant crowd of people rushed in to join them.  Dozen of people were dancing wildly.  It was quite the spectacle!

    And how did it start?  One man danced.

    This concept shows exactly what mini habits can do for you.  The crowd of people who joined late are like your dormant dreams – sky and scared to take action.  They aren’t confident enough to dance in the spotlight.  That first man dancing is like your decision to take the first small step.  Then you notice, hey, I’m actually doing this right now.  That’s when your dormant dreams and passions rush in to encourage you.  You already have all the inspiration you need inside of you, but it may be dormant.  Awaken it with mini habits.

    Mini habits are a pretty simple brain trick at the core, but also a life philosophy that values starting, letting action precede motivation, and believing that small steps can accumulate into giant leaps forward.  When you complete a mini habit, it means your mini man is dancing – cheer him on, because he’s starting your personal growth party!  Celebrate all progress.

    Emotions Are Real

    The Voice of Knowledge is not Real

    The Voice of Knowledge by Don Miguel Ruiz

     

    Now the question is this:  What is the voice in your head telling you?  How many times has it told you, “God, I’m so stupid, how could I do that?  I will never learn!”  The voice of knowledge judges you, your perceive the judgement, and you have an emotional reaction.  You feel the shame; your feel the guilt.  The emotion is true, but what causes the emotion, which is the judgement that you are stupid, is not true; it’s a story.  Again, this is just action – reaction.  What is the action?  The action is the perception of your point of view, which means the perception of your own judgment.  What is the reaction?  Your feelings are the reaction, and you react to the lies with emotional poison.

    Let’s see if we can understand this a little better.  Imagine that you have a dog.  As you know, the dog is just a dog, and it’s a perfect dog, isn’t it?  But what happens if you abuse the dog?  What if every time you see the dog, you kick the dog?  Very soon the dog will be afraid.  You can see the emotions coming from the dog.  It is angry; it might try to bite you or run away.  It here something wrong with the dog’s emotions?  Does the dog’s anger make the dog evil?  No, the dog’s reaction is just the result of being abused.  The emotion is he;ping the dog to defend itself.  It comes from the dog’s integrity.

    Now imagine a dog living in the most beautiful environment with people who always love and respect the dog.  That dog is the sweetest animal in the whole world, the most wonderful dog.  Because that dog is not abused, he follows his nature; he loves everybody who loves him.  We, your physical body is just like that dog.  It reacts emotionally in the same way.  Why do you react with anger?  Well, because somebody kicked you, right?  But who kicked you?  The voice in your head, the main character of your story – what you believe you are.

    Your also perceive your image of perfection, what you believe you are not, and this also creates an emotional reaction.  How do you feel when you cannot live up to that image.  The emotion is not pleasant, but your emotional reaction is real; it’s what you feel.  But is it true that you need to fit that image?  No, it’s a lie.  What you are perceiving is just a lie that you agreed to believe in.  You agreed, and that lie has become a part of your story.

     

    Humans are victimized by knowledge, by what we know.  If we make a mistake in front of someone, we try to justify the mistake to protect the image we project.  Later, when we are alone, we remember what happened and we punish ourselves all over again.  Why?  Because the voice of knowledge keeps telling us what we did from the same pint of view that we had when we did it.  The voice becomes a powerful judge, and it’s telling us, “Look what you did!”  And it’s telling this to whom?  It was the voice that made us do it in the first place!

    The voice of knowledge is abusing the emotional body.  What is not real is abusing what is real.  The action is to believe a lie; the reaction  is to feel emotional pain.  The emotional body perceives the voice, reacts to the voice, and just like a tiger, it attacks.  We lose control, and we do things and say things that we really don’t want to do or say.  Now the voice of knowledge is afraid of our emotional reaction; it judges our reaction, and makes us feel ashamed of our own feelings.

    PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION SESSION ALLOWS YOU TO DISCOVER YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF AND TAKE YOUR POWER BACK.   BOOK TODAY TO START ALIGNING WITH YOUR GREATNESS   403-358-2362

    May Trade Fair

    I will be participating in the Psychic and Wellness Fair in Delburne Hall 

    Saturday May 5th 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

    Sunday May 6th  10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

    I’LL BE OFFERING 

    INDIAN HEAD MASSAGES / ANGEL CARD READINGS AND

    YUEN METHOD (Personal Transformation) SESSION

      30 MIN for $30 each        

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

     

    How lucky I am to have something that makes saying good-bye so hard.                            – A.A. Milne –

    Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.  –  Confucius –

    Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity.   – Augustine of Hippo –

    Reality is whatever refuses to go away when I stop believing in it.  – Philip K. Dick –

    When something seems to go wrong, it’s invariably part of a larger right – Jed McKenna –

    A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks.  – Charles Gordy –

  • Time For Self Newsletter April 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter April 2018

    My Change Will Be Permanent

    and I Will Never Have To Worry Again!

    Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith

    The Great Western Disease is “I’ll be happy when ….”  This is our belief that happiness is a static and finite goal, within our grasp when we get that promotion, or buy that house, or find that mate, or whatever.  It’s inculcated in us by the most popular story line in contemporary life:  there is a person; the person spends money on a product or service; the person is eternally happy.  This is called a TV commercial.  The average American spends 140,000 hours watching TV commercials.  Some brainwashing is inevitable.  Is it any wonder that we can casually assume that any positive change we make will change us forever?  It’s the same with behavioral change.  We set a goals and mistakenly believe that in achieving that goal we will be happy – and that we will never regress.  This belief triggers a false sense of permanence.

    If only this were true.  Research as shown that if we don’t follow up, our positive change doesn’t last.  It’s the difference between, say getting in shape and staying in shape – hitting our physical conditioning goal and maintaining them.  Even when we get there, we cannot stay there without commitment and discipline.  We have to keep going to the gym – forever.

    Fairy tales end with “and they lived happily ever after.”  That is why they are called fairy tales, not documentaries.

    To Know Oneself

    A Path to Wisdom by Tony Jeton Selimi

    Surely there has to be more to our being, our experience, our existence.  It is the quest that you, I and humanity have had since its existence.  What is this all about?  Why am I being pulled into this search for myself?

    Whether you acknowledge it or not, you know that inside of you a spiritual alarm clock is going off that no matter how many times you put it on snooze it keeps ringing to tell you that you can no longer ignore the voice that comes from the depth of your being.

    The problem is that at some point in hour life you made a decision (consciously/subconsciously) to ignore it, you stopped hearing it, believing in it, trusting it, and listening to it – your soul’s true voice

    So how do you go about shutting down the noise that stops you from listening to your true voice that knows?

    You can no longer use your outer world as an excuse for not doing, for not loving, and for not trying to find solutions to the problems in life that force you to live your life on snooze.

    They say that there is no better moment than the present moment that creates both your past and your future.  It is truly time for you to acquire wisdom that comes from looking within and from knowing yourself at a deeper level

    As you start looking within, you start to be more aware of your body and what happening on all levels.  The more you tune in and listen to what is happening inside of you, the more you become aware of who you are as a consciousness with infinite innate abilities to create, protect, adapt, learn, change, heal, and love.

    The moment you decide to recognize and accept that you have been given God-given gift since birth is the moment you all this gift to unleash the power you have to change your circumstances, habits, choices, actions, and ultimately your life.  This is the very moment you start being the change you want to see in the world.

    As you do so, you raise your vibration.  You start loving yourself and others.  You inspire others by become more aware of your own values as well as those of others.

    As you uncover your many layers, you discover a lot about who you are.  You get to know your faults, limits, and the many parts of your personality that you have disowned.  Fear not, you also learn everything you love about you.  As you let go of the illusion that you are only one side of the coin, you create acceptance of self and others around you.  You start to experience inner joy, love and an inner peace from which you can truly list to the voice that knows.

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

     

    Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.  – Reverend Jesse Jackson

    Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable  – Franz Kafka

    Wisdom begins in wonder.   Socrates

    A kind word is never thrown away.  – Sir Arthur Helps –

    I have not failed.  I’ve just found 10,000 way that won’t work.   – Thomas Edison –

    What you think is the point is not the point at all but only the beginning of the sharpness.  – Flann O’Brien

     

     

    Up Coming Event I Will Be

    Participating In Rimbey

    I will be offering 20 min sessions of Yuen Method, Angel Card Readings and Indian Head Massages for $20.   Drop in and put your name in for a chance to win your choice of either an Indian Head Massage or Detox Foot Bath value $45.  Hope to see you there!!!!!

     

    Rimbey’s

    Path To Wellness/Eco Expo

    Saturday April 7, 2018

    10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

    Rimbey Community Centre  5109 54 St

    FREE ADMISSION

    SWAG BAGS for  first 25 people

    LOTS of PRIZES to be WON

     

     

  • Time For Self Newsletter March 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter March 2018

    The Greatest Obstacle To Happiness

    And How To Overcome It

    Beyond Positive Thinking by Dr. Robert Anthony

     

    Our life is about a string of moments in time.  So often we stand in our unhappiness trying to improve a future moment.  The problem is that this moment is where we are creating what we call our “future.”

    Most people are looking toward a future time for pleasure and a feeling of satisfaction, but very few experience it in the NOW.    Yet NOW is the only time that exists.  What you are being, living, thinking and feeling in the present moment will determine your happiness.  It also determines how much time you will on worrying about the future.

    Your Point Of Power

    Think of your present moment as your Point of Power, because it is the only point where you can exercise your full power.  For most of us the present moment exists only as mental concept.  If there is such a place where all the creative forces of the universe come together, how do we know it is the present moment?  What evidence is there that this is true?

    Consider this; all your hopes for the future and even your memories of the past can happen only in the present moment.  The present moment is that one point where everything comes together.

    When does life start?  When does it end?  When do cause and effect take place?  When is it that we meet every challenge?  When are problems are born and when are they resolved?  When do we feel pain?  When are we healed?  This all happens in the present moment.

    We have been taught that those moments are separate from each other, but in truth, they all take place in the now.  No matter what happens in life, it is always now, than, now, then now – always in the present moment.

    Nothing exists outside the NOW.

    Nothing ever happened in the past – It happened in the Now.

    Nothing will ever happen in the future – It will happen in the Now.

    When you think of the past, it is stored in the mind as a former now, and when you think about the past, when do you do it?  You do it now!

    When the future comes – it comes in the now, and when you think about the future, when do you do it?  You do it now!

    The past and future have no realities of their own.  Their realities are “borrowed” from the now.

    The insanity of Future Time

    How does this pattern operate in your life?  Are you always trying to get somewhere other than where you are so that you can finally be happy?

    The truth is that all unhappiness is caused by denial of the present.  We think our problems and unhappiness are caused by our situations in life, but attachment to the past and future and denial of the now is the real problem.  Ultimately then, there is only one problem in life – not living in the now.

    You cannot be unhappy and fully present now.  It is impossible to have a problem when your attention is in the now.  When you live in the now, you either deal with a situation or accepted now.  Whenever you have a problem, it means you are dwelling on a situation without having a true intention or possibility of taking action now.

    Answers Come In The Now

    Perhaps you are seeking answers to your questions or problems.  Notice that sometimes you receive your answer, but most of the time you don’t.  Why?  Because you are not in the present moment when the answer arrives!  Anytime your mind is out of the present moment you cannot receive the answer you need from High Intelligence.

    The answer can come in many ways and at any time, but it will always come in the present moment.  If we spend most of our time regretting and living in the past or worrying about he future we place ourselves out of the present moment where all creativity and answers take place.  Does it make any sense at all to desire, requests, yearn and pray for that which is closest to your heart and necessary to your life and then not be paying attention when the answer arrives?

    Our point of power can only exist in the present moment.  We create from this moment whether the materialization appears instantly or late as a complex event.  However, all creation takes place in the now.  If we really understand this truth, we will have an inexhaustible supply of usable energy at our command.

    It is only our thoughts, attitudes and emotions in the moment that have power.  It is not what happened to us in the past that keeps us from living a successful and happy life in the present.  It is how tightly we hold on to the past by reliving its trauma and drama in our present moment.  When we constantly worry and re-examine the past in order to discover what’s wrong with the present, we reinforce the same thought process that will create exactly that which we are trying to escape.

    Have A Sense of Humour

    The Rules of Life by Richard Templar

    How important this is.  As we struggle through this life – and it can be a struggle – we need to keep a sense of proportion about it.  What we do and what we take seriously can often be so far removed from what it is actually all about that it is laughable.  We get bogged down in trivia, lost in irrelevant detail to such an extent that our life can whizz past and we don’t even notice.  By letting go of things that really aren’t important we can put ourselves back on the right track.  And the best way to do that is through humour – laughing at ourselves, laughing at our situation, but  never laughing at others; they’re just as lost as us and don’t need to be laughed at.

    We get bogged down with things like worrying what the neighbours will think, concern over stuff we don’t have, or things we haven’t done:  ‘Oh no, I haven’t washed the car for two weeks and it’s filthy and next door did theirs yesterday so it looks like we are really lazy.’  If we ever think we’re getting like that then we do need to have a laugh about it.  Life is for living, enjoying and sunshine, big things – not getting in a terrible state because you dropped some eggs on the supermarket floor.

    Laughing at yourself and situations you find yourself in has a double positive effect.  Firstly, it diffuses tension and helps regain a sense of proportion and secondly, it has real physical as well as mental benefits.  Laughter causes the release of endorphins, which make you feel better as well as giving you a better perspective on life.

    This isn’t about telling jokes all the time, or cracking witty puns.  It’s more about being able to see something funny in whatever life throws at us along the way – and there is always some humour in everything.

    If you observe any aspect of human behaviour, you can see the ridiculousness in all of it.  Learn to find the funny side of everything.  It’s the best technique for instant stress relief and dissolves anxiety and doubt.  Try it.

    SEE SOMETHING FUNNY IN WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT US

    ALONG THE WAY!!!

     

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    I have found that among its  other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.

     – Maya Angelou –

    Our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation.

    – Honore de Balzac –

    We all look.  The lucky find.  The wise accept.  – Nora Roberts –

    The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. – Alice Walker –

    We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present. – Marianne Williamson –

  • Time For Self Newsletter February 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter February 2018

    Who You Are and Who Your Are Not!

    www.innercompassdesigns.com

     

    Exploring self awareness is the way to the road to know “how to love and accept yourself as you are”.  It’s critical that you look at who you are and who you are not.

    Don’t go on day after day settling for something that you can change.  You can choose to get clear and then stand strong in who you are and what you want.

    Any changes that come from that may (or may not) upset others or cause ripple effects of change.  But don’t hold yourself back because it may cause discomfort, move forward instead because it will bring you freedom.

     

     

     

    Some questions to ask yourself to get to know you ….

    • How do you want to feel?
    • What do you long for / follow from a distance?
    • What are you drawn to?
    • What did you love as a child/young adult?
    • Ask “who am I?” and see what comes up for you – images, memories, things you used to love and do
    • Who and what inspires you? and why?
    • What do you feel strongly about in life?
    • What did you )(love to) study or what profession did you dream or pursuing?  (What is undernearth that love or desire – many clues lie here with your younger self)

    Who are you not?

    • What clothes sit in your closet /wardrobe unworn? – are they truly you?  are they part of an old life?  do they need a new home?
    • What books sit on your bookshelf (kindle unread or on a to be read list filled with suggestions from others?
    • What hobbies or crafts have you left abandoned? – is it because you need to reorganize your priorities and get back to them or is it because they no longer fit?
    • What objects are merely clutter in your life – they serve no purpose and bring no joy into your life, they are dead weight?
    • What commitments clog up your calendar leaving no room for what you really want? – things you do out of guilt, obligation or expectations only.

    How to Answer the Questions

    A Guide to the Present Moment by Noel Elkrief

    When we ask ourselves a question, the immediate answer often seems to confirm what we have been thinking all along.  If the question is “Are you sure?”, the immediate answer maybe, “YES I’m sure!”  This type of anwer is what comes when our mind thinks it already knows the answer and we don’t actually stop to discover the answer for overselves right now.  Answering a question based on the first thought that pops into our mind will not allow us to discover the answer that is true for us.

    Rather than answering a question in this way, stop and take a breath after you ask yourself the question.  Be patient, wait a few seconds, and allow the answer to come.  Don’t refer to your knowledge, what you think the right answer should be.  The answers you are looking for, by nature, will often conflict with what you know, what you have been taught, and what you have believed.  This is why we start from scratch.  Answer the question honestly and innocently.  Treat this as a completely new discovery, as uncharted territory.  If necessary, look at your own experience in life to discover what is true for you.

    Since our minds partially don’t want to disbelieve thoughts, our thoughts may try to trick us in a few ways.

    • Thought can try to answer questions with a story or justification that only provides evidence that see,s to prove our thought is true.
    • Thoughts can prevent us from seeing the truth by overcomplicating the answers so much that it is hard to find the truth.
    • Thoughts can go on tangents in order to avoid directly answering the question.

    Thoughts can try to answer the questions, “Do you know for sure?” or “Is it true?”, with answers such as “I am almost sure”, “I am almost positive”, or “I am 99% sure”.  However, if we aren’t 100% sure that our thought true, if there is a possibility that it isn’t, than the fact is we don’t actually know whether our thought is true.  Our own truth becomes, “I don’t know if this thought is true”.  The only two possibilities are that either we are sure our thought is true or we aren’t sure.  Regardless of whether we are ninety-nine percent sure or one percent sure, we are not sure.  Either the thought is a fact (“this is an apple”) or it is not known to be true.  There is nothing in between.  If we are not sure, than our answer must be, “K don’t know if this thought is true”.

    For Example, we may experience anxiety from thinking, “It would be bad if I stopped being friends with X”.  But after asking ourselves a few questions, we may be able to recognize that there is a small possibility that this outcome could be “good” for our life.  If we answer, “Am I sure this thought is true?”, with “I am almost positive it would be bad if I stopped being friends with X” then our anxiety will remain.  However, since we don’t actually know with certainty that “It would be bad if this happened”, the truth is, “I really don’t know whether not being friends would be good or bad for my life”.  If we can admit this, than we are not longer believing the thought that created our emotion, and we would have no reason to feel anxiety anymore.

    Because of these tricks, the most effective way to answer questions such as, “Do you know for sure?” or “Is it true?”, with either “yes”, “No”, or “I don’t know”. For other types of questions, you can choose to mentally answer the questions or you may find it more helpful to write down your answers.

     

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    A kind word is never thrown away.  – Sir Arthur Helps

    Restlessness and discontent are the necessities of progress.  – Thomas Edison –

    I’m not a afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship. – Louisa May Alcott

    You move totally away from reality when you believe that there is a legitimate reason to suffer.  – Byron Katie –

    If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I’ll bet they’d live a lot differently.  – Bill Watterson –

    Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.  – Alexander Pope –

  • Time For Self Newsletter January 2018

    Time For Self Newsletter January 2018

    Inspired Quotes for 2018

    New beginnings are magical and with 2018 arriving, it’s time to start getting inspired for the year.

    New Year’s resolutions can make some people feel depressed, unnecessarily stresssed out, or disappointed in themselves.  While we aren’t opposed to resolutions or self-improvement, sometimes it feels as though there’s far too much pressure to make a dramatic life-change.  It might be better to get inspired and feel good , never feel worse.

    These New Year’s quotes will hopefully help on days when you just feel like giving up goals and can inspire you to wipe the slate clean and get invigorated for all that 2018 has in store.

     

     

     

    1.  “YOUR STRONGER THAN YOU THINK”

    2.  “WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART THAT EVERY DAY IS THE BEST DAY IN THE  YEAR.”                           – Emerson Waldorf –

    3.  “THE SECRET OF CHANGE IS TO FOCUS ALL OF YOUR  ENERGY, NOT  ON FIGHTING THE OLD, BUT ON BUILDING THE NEW.”          – Socrates-

    4. “EVERY DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND START AGAIN.”

    5.  “I BROKE UP WITH FEAR SO I COULD MARRY MY DREAMS”

    6.  “COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY.”-Theodore Roosevelt-

    7.  “EVERY DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING, SO TREAT IT THAT WAY.  STAY AWAY  FROM WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AND LOOK AT WHAT CAN BE.”       @fordfirstym 

    8.  “LOOK DEEP INSIDE YOURSELF AND YOU WILL FIND INFINITY.    – author unknown –

    9.  “THINK BACK 5 YEARS AGO, THINK OF WHERE YOU’RE AT TODAY, THINK AHEAD 5  YEARS AND WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.  BE UNSTOPPABLE.”  – Dwayne Johnson”

    10. “YOU LEARN MORE IN FAILURE THAN YOU EVER DO IN SUCCESS.”      – Jay Z-

    Steps to Self-Care After the Holidays

    Everyday Feminism   by Erin Tatum

    With the passage of the new year, most consider the holiday season to be officially over.  Almost overnight, we turn our focus to self-improvement.

    Some people feel a little bit of mood whiplash during this time of year.  Whether you enjoy the holidays or not, it’s jarring to go from messages of selflessness and family to extreme self-criticism (especially because family can often trigger self-doubt).

    Often the “holiday season” means that everyone enjoys time off to celebrate the holidays with their families and then returns to work fresh and ready to begin the new year.

    But what if you don’t consider the holidays a break?

    Holidays can be a stressful time for many.  The resulting strain can leave you feeling exhausted and resistant to starting your next chapter.

    If you’re feeling holiday burnout, here are some self-care tips for the new year.

    1.  Validate Your Own Emotions

    One of the most stressful things about the holidays is that everyone is expected to be happy and excited and cheerful round-the-clock.

    The holidays seem to be the peak of emotional policing.

    Show one sign of sadness or annoyance, and it’s like you’re a one-person Grinch parade hell-bent on ruining everyone else’s good time.

    If you spend the holidays in a lot of group settings, the performance of cheer gets old fast.

    To unwind, try unpacking all of those suppressed feelings from the past month.   Whether you’ve been angry with someone or you were reacting to a change in circumstance, you need to remind yourself that feeling those things was and still okay.

    We are so caught up with pleasing everyone else during holidays that we forget to prioritize ourselves.

    2.  Do Whatever You Need to Do to (Actually) Relax

    Society gives us the ideas that the holidays are supposed to be a relaxing break from the grind of reality.

    Sure, some parts are fun, but, the season amplifies everything chaotic about life.

    Holidays shove everything anxiety-inducing about social interaction into one room and literally wrap it with a box.

    Smile.  Be polite, Talk to everyone.  Don’t offend anyone.  Don’t be offended.  Give the right gifts.  React correctly to the gifts you receive.  Engage in extended conversation with people who you don’t see for months on end even if your knowledge of them only extends as far as your Facebook newsfeed.   Yikes.

    We can all agree that the new year calls for a little pampering.

    Maybe you spent time with your family and friends, maybe you didn’t   Maybe you liked it, maybe you didn’t.  However your holidays panned out, it’s time to return to the roots of self love.

    Stop overthinking or discrediting  the little things that bring you joy.

    Taking a bubble bath,  Watch a movie.   Eat an extra slice of cake.  Sign up for yoga class.  Take a selfie.  Do whatever makes you feel good about being you and living your life.

    You made it through 2017, and you deserve a pat on the back.  Treat yourself.

    3.  Approach New Year’s Resolutions with Caution

    It’s absurd how much New Year’s solutions have become commercialized.  Just look at the huge jump in dieting and weight loss advertisements alone in the week or so after New Year’s

    When you consider a typical New Year’s resolution, it often calls us out on something we feel guilty about or ashamed of in an effort to discipline ourselves into becoming “better people.”

    Most of them involve self-policing via self-deprecation or body negativity.

    New Year’s resolutions are a running joke about the idealism of a fresh start quickly being squelched by the apathy of reality, to the point where designating something you want to change supposedly indicates your complete lack of a will to do so.

    People try for a few weeks, get discouraged, and wind up making the same resolution the next year.  They increasingly beat themselves up over not taking control of their lives, with the goal in question appearing more and more out of reach.

    Needless to say, this isn’t a healthy cycle.

    Even reactionary articles that critique the futility and unrealistic expectations of many New Years’s resolutions slide back into the same logic of needing to whip yourself into shape.

    They seet smaller and allegedly more attainable milestones, but it all still relies on the fundamental assumption that you constantly have to battle yourself to feel any sort of satisfaction.

    That just insn’t true.

    Who says that New Year’s resolutions have to be associated with correcting insecurities.

    A New Year’s resolution could be cook fancier recipes and listen to yourself more.  It’s not really something negative or positive.  It’s something that you can quietly do in everyday life because I’m curious if it will encourage me to try new things,   Plain and simple.

    or negative qualities?  Further, why do New Year’s resolutions have to be significant?

    You don’t need a New Year’s resolution as an obligatory benchmark for your growth for progress.

    You can also, you know, make resolutions throughout the year.  January doesn’t have special privileges.

    Change at your own pace and on your own terms.

    The holidays are over.  The new year is your new year.  Take the time to take care of yourself so that you can enjoy it to the fullest.

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.  – Mark Twain –

    Humor does not diminish the pain – it makes the space around it get bigger.  – Allen Klein –

    Just ’cause you got the monkey off your back doesn’t mean the circus has left town.  – George Carlin –

    The mind is like an umbrella – it only works when it is open.  – Sir James Jeans –

    Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.  – Dalai Lama –

  • Time For Self Newsletter December 2017

    Time For Self Newsletter December 2017

     

    How To Heal And Re-parent Your Inner chil

    The Emotion Code by Dr Bradley Nelson

    Your Inner child is the echo of the child you once were.  We each have our own history and we have all been influenced by our environment, events and the significant people around us.  Our inner child has stored those memories, and their impact upon us.

    Up to the age of six years, our brain was functioning at a relative slow pace – The Theta brainwave frequency of 4-7 cycles per second – which is very ‘receptive’ brainwave state, and we would have been profoundly affected by our experiences.

    We will have made ‘decision’ at a sub-conscious level, about how we ‘should’ be and what we ‘should’do in order to be seen as OK, and to be allowed to stay around and to ‘survive’ in our families.

    Our later experiences will have reinforced these beliefs and formed our own ‘script’ for our our life ‘should’ be.  We carry these immature scripts and decisions with us into adulthood – when they run our lives more than 90% of the time.

    It therefore makes sense that we should revisit the experiences of the child we once were, and to find out what our own script says about our life and the unfolding drama we have been re-creating and repeating.

    Not doing so will result in our playing out of the same unexamined script and drama over and over again.

    We cannot change the script by talking about it, or by conscious effort alone.  It was designed to keep us safe – albeit in ways that now hinder us – and so it isn’t given up that easily!

    We may try to silence these deeper longs with alcohol or drugs, by promiscuity, gambling, over-spending, over-eating, work-a-holism, self-harming and other ways of avoid the real and deeper needs we have.  Needs which we haven’t allowed ourselves to become fully aware of, or to find a way to have sufficiently met.

    We have all been influenced by our environments since the time we were in our mother’s womb.

    The sounds around us, our mother’s stress levels, the abundance or deficit of the ‘feel-good’ hormones and neuro-peptides, our nourishment or lack of it, complications. twin pregnancies, drugs, alcohol, and infections will all have played their part in how safe we felt even before we were born.

    Then the actual birth experience, and our early infant care, and the ’emotional availability’ of our mother will have either reinforced or soothed the impact of those first pre-natal influences.

    As small children we will have been absorbing a great deal from our extended families, our caregiver(s), friends, pre-school and early school years, and religious institutions.

    We may not have had words for these experiences but they will have been ‘logged’ in our sub-conscious minds and bodies.

    This all creates the pool in which we float, or sink.  Inevitably, the water will be a bit dirty-or it may even be like thick mud.

    In this pool resides our self-esteem, body-image, family trauma, shame and secrets (even if not spoken about – as if they affect the quality of the care our caregivers are able to show to us.).

    We will sink down into this pool, or mud, whenever we are overwhelmed by our negative thoughts, emotions, self-doubt or self-loathing.

    What can we do to help our wounded Inner Child?

    We can learn how to meet, rescue and ‘adopt’ this wounded child who still lives deep inside us.  After all, you are the only person who you can guarantee never to leave you!

    We can then emotionally contain and soothe our Inner Child, and allow the Competent Adult inside us to ‘attend to business’ out in the world.

    However, we must regularly keep in touch with what our Inner Child still needs from us  -which is to be truly cared for by someone who wants the very best for them – that’s you!

    If you have a photograph of yourself as a small child, this will help you to empathically  reconnect with him/her – the aim of which is to now understand their plight and to show them/yourself the compassion which has been missing.

    It is often easier to feel compassion for other people than it is for yourself and you may have been rejection and ignoring the yearning of your Inner Child – who has been calling out to you, over many years, for your interest, attention, compassion and love.

    Rescuing and re-parenting your Inner Child will allow you to ‘fill in the gaps’ and enable you to live a more positive and rewarding life – with fun, laughter, spontaneity, authenticity, and most importantly, with love.

    • Remind yourself how special and wonderful you were as a child
    • Have a safe place that you can bring to mind where you and your inner child can meet and play together
    • When you speak kindly to your inner child each day, have a loving and soothing inner voice – one that is supportive, soft, nurturing, patient and comforting
    • Tell her/him she is now loved, valued, and appreciated by you.
    • Be sure to tell your inner little girl that she doesn’t have to prove herself to anyone
    • She has nothing to feel guilty or ashamed about.  None of what happened to her was ever her fault.  She didn’t deserve to be treated badly.
    • She was just in the wrong place and had no means of escape – but she is now free at last!
    • There is nothing wrong with her/him.  Tell them how proud you are of them
    • She needs to feel respected.  Don’t tolerate disrespect ever again.
    • Tell her that you will be her guardian, champion and protector from now on.  Things will be OK and you will never let her come to any more harm.
    • She never gain fear being alone because you are always there for her now.
    • Apologize for not being aware of her pain and needs in the past, and of pushing her too hard sometimes to try and impress others.
    • Assure her that you will only allow safe, trustworthy and respectful people into your/her world now.  Notice loving mothers who are caring for their babies and absorb that loving energy between a mother and a child
    • Reassure her that you will be alongside her either to speak up on her behalf, or to support her when she speaks up
    • Agree upon a symbol of her freedom …. something for her to summon up whenever she feels the need to escape and be along with her thoughts.  This might be imagine a ladder, a floating bubble, a sci-fi teleporter, a hot air balloon …. anything that comes to mind that you/she can associate with release and freedom.

    Please remember that your inner child is a real part of your sub-conscious mind – a wounded child who needs your love, care and compassion – because on-one else can heal her pain and help her to make peace with the past.

    If you are interested in reconnecting with Inner Child  or developing a truly authentic relationship with self,  book in for a Personal Transformation/ Yuen Session today.

     

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.

    – Art Linkletter –

    You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness.

    – Jonathan Safran Foer –

    What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.

    -Ellen Burstyn –

    Happy people continuously change; and because they change they become more and more happy; and then more and more change is possible.

    – Osho-

    We think more of extending life than of filling it.

    -Tomas Masaryk-

  • Time For Self Newsletter November 2017

    Time For Self Newsletter November 2017

    De-stressing Mindfully

    Heal Your Life by Carolle Jean-Murat

    Stress is inevitable in our lives.  But when you are over-stressed, it will cause emotional and physical symptoms, from anxiety to cancer.  Emotional and physical symptoms are a warning signal – a way your body communicates with you.

    A symptom is the tip of the iceberg, pointing to something deeper; true healing can only occur when the root cause is found and dealt with.  Listen to your body when it lets you know you’re over-stressed.  It is your inner wisdom talking to you.

    When you feel stressed, make time to take a “life inventory.”  Figure out what your strongest stress triggers are.  They usually involve your outlook on life, and imbalance in your personal relationships, work/career, finances, or your lack of spiritual health.

    Are you in the right relationship?  Is your present job a good fit for you?  Stress can be related to your environment or to the side effects of a medication.  Good mental health depends on healthy relationships that nurture you.  This means establishing healthy boundaries in all of them.

    Know your limitations when it comes to your work and career.  Is it the major stressors in your life?  Are you doing what you love?  Does it fulfill your needs and that of those you love?  Do you have all the tools you need?  Do you need to ask for help?

    It is very important to acknowledge how you respond when under stress.  See if you deal with it in a negative manner by doing things such as overeating, over-exercising, or using mood-altering substances., etc.

    Please have faith, and trust that you will be taken care of, no matter what, in spite of how things may look.  Don’t be like the many individuals who stay in unfulfilling  jobs or relationships until  they become very sick and reach a point of no return.  Please practice believing deep within yourself that you deserve better …. and that when a door closes, another one always opens for your highest good.

    Steps for de-stressing mindfully include, bio-feedback, yoga, getting a massage, exercising, herbal teas, a a relaxing bath, time alone or with a friend or a pet or a loved one.   Others, such a meditation, listening to music and reading.

    “Leave the past behind, so you can be free to enjoy the present.”  Live in the moment; don’t waste time dwelling in the past.  I choose how I live my life moment by moment.”

    Transitioning Through Autumn and Winter

    When we take the time to reflect upon the natural environment, we begin to observe a complex yet very beautiful world cycling through patterns, phases and through stages of transition.  We also quickly realize that nothing ever stands still, that nothing every maintains its current state, identity or shape for very long.  In fact, all nature cycles through seasons of change and transformation, effortlessly and naturally – just like  humans transition through psychological and physical states of transformation throughout our lives.

    Autumn : A season for survival, mistakes, and problems.

    Winter:  A season for reflection, hibernation, and planning

    The Season of Autumn

    The Autumn season is a time for survival, for dealing with problems and for making mistakes.  It encapsulates moments of your life where you struggled to maintain the momentum that was required to achieve your goals and objectives.  Consequently, things started to fall apart, you felt like you had very little control over your circumstances, and you began to react emotionally in very limiting ways.

    Characteristics of Autumn

    Throughout Autumn you will find yourself undertaking the following activities:

    • Avoiding responsibility
    • Contracting your comfort zone
    • Hesiitating
    • Thinking unrealistically, ineffectively and pessimistically

    The Psychology of Autumn

    Throughout autumn you will tend to experience the following emotions:

    • Anger
    • Anxieety
    • Frustration
    • Stress
    • Disappointment
    • Overwhelm

    The Evolution of Autumn

    The Autumn season doesn’t occur by coincidence.  There are certain factors that come into play that naturally enable us to transition through this phase of life.  These factors include:

    • Ineffective decision-making
    • Failure to capitalize on opportunities
    • Ignormance
    • Mistakes stemming from ineffective thinking
    • Mistakes originating from limiting habits of behavior

    Self-Reflection Questions

    Reflect back upon the Autumn seasons of your life and honestly ask yourself the following set of questions:

    What impact have the Autumns had on my life?

    What have they taught me about myself, life and others?

    How have they transformed my personality?

    The Season of Winter

    The Winter Season is a time for self-reflection, planning, and hibernation.  It encapsulates moments of your life when you began to withdraw emotionally from the world and from your circumstances.  This naturally brought about periods of self-reflection and contemplation where you were able to re-clarify your life’s purpose and consequently forgive yourself for past mistakes and indiscretions.

    Characteristics of Winter

    Throughout Winter you will find yourself undertaking the following activities:

    • Time for finding inner peace and solitude
    • Time for bonding with family, friends and loved ones
    • Time for journaling thoughts and feelings
    • Time for thinking critically, realistically, problematically and thoughtfully about life

    The Psychology of Winter

    Throughout Winter you will tend to experience a mix of pessimistic and optimistic emotions that naturally tend to trigger a state of procrastination:

    • Guilt
    • Fear
    • Relief
    • Grief
    • Hope

    The Evolution of Winter

    The Winter season doesn’t occur by coincidence.  There are certain factors that come into play that naturally enable us to transition through this phase of life.  These factors include:

    • Lack of emotional intelligence
    • Reactive behavior to losses and uncontrolled circumstances
    • Ineffective choices, habits, and thoughts

    Self-Reflection Questions

    Reflect back upon the Winter Seasons of your life and honestly ask yourself the following set of questions:

    What impact have the Winters had on my life?

    What have they taught me about myself, life and others?

    How have they transformed my personality?

    This is a great time of year for Personal Transformation through the Yuen Method.   If you haven’t experienced Personal Transformation/Yuen Method, call your a free intuitive 30 min session to see amazing possibilities that await for you.   403-358-2362

    Positive  Balancing Thoughts

    You begin saving the world by saving one person at a time.  – Charles Bukowski –

    My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.   – Jane Austen –

    The sound of laughter is like the vaulted dome of a temple of happiness.  – Milan Kundera –

    Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.  – Art Linkletter –

    Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both you won’t have to hunt for happiness.   – William E. Gladstone –

     

     

     

     

  • Time For Self Newsletter October 2017

    What Your Cravings Are Telling You

    Get Healthy U     gethealthyu.com

     

    food cravings There’s no way to figure out exactly why you want to eat a particular food at a particular time.  But some food cravings can hint at nutritional deficiencies or other health issues.

    While food cravings aren’t the best diagnostic tools on their own, listening to what you crave – and putting those cravings into context can help you give your body what it really needs.  Consider these triggers the next time you have food cravings.

     Chocolate

    1. Your getting your period, you’re pregnant, or you’re having a bad day.  If you have heard about raging hormones  and special chemicals that improve your mood.
    2. You’re on a diet that’s too restrictive,  Cravings can be the result of our intent to stay away from things that are pleasant and pleasurable to eat.  When you’re hungry from restricting calories, your body registers chocolate.

     

    Candy

    1. You’re pre-diabetic
    2. You’re getting or having your period.  Any changes in hormone levels can increase sugar cravings.
    3. You’re OD-ing on processed carbs.  Oftentimes candy craving are related to what you ate at your last meal:  White bread, white rice, and pasta contain simple cars that spike your blood sugar for instant boost of energy that lands you in a lazy slump and leaves you searching for your next sugar fix.
    4. You’re stressed.  Sugar activates your brain’s reward center.  In nail-biting situations, you might subconsciously crave candy (or doughnuts or cake) for some sweet relief.

    Carbs Like Bread and Pasta

    1. You’re actually craving sugar (see Candy above)  Once a starchy food gets past the back of your tongue, your body treats it the same way as sugary sweets.”  You might reach for a bagel or a bowl of pasta before dipping into your candy stash because eating foods feels more socially acceptable than eating sweet.

    Ice Cream

    1. You may have heartburn or acid reflux.  Creamy dairy foods tend to be soothing
    2. You might be taking too many OTC pain relievers.   These can cause low-grade inflammation in the stomach.  An ice cream craving could be your body’s way of expressing irritation – and a sign it needs a break.
    3. You’re tired.  Ice cream (like milk and yogurt) contains natural milk sugars that can give you a quick boost or energy.

    Salty Foods Like Chips and Pretzels

    1. You’re dehydrated. Thirst is often masked as hunger.  So a craving for salt, which helps your body retain water, could mean you aren’t drinking enough or you are losing water (through sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting)faster than you’re ingesting it.
    2. You’re stressed.   Many salty foods – like chips, crackers, and pretzel – are crunchy.  Eating crunch foods canhelp relieve stress,
    3. You’ve been eating mostly soft foods.  Many salty foods – like chips, crackers, and pretzels – are crunchy.  When your diet consists of mostly mushy studd – like smoothies, soups and yogurts – your salivary glands and the muscles in your jaw get (understandably) bored.  After a day or two, they need a little stimulation – so a crunchy craving is born.

    Meat Like Steaks and Burgers

    1. You’re not eating enough protein.  People who resistance or weight training eat enough protein.  Eat one gram for every pound you weight or your ideal weight.
    2. You have a chronic iron or vit. B deficiency.

    French Fries and Other Fried Foods

    1. You’re sleep-deprived.  Because lack of sleep leaves you low on energy and food provides energy to fuel your every move, it’s easy to confuse exhaustion and hungry.  It’s better to indulge in foods prepared with healthy fats rather than frying oils.

    Cheese

    1. You’re actually craving sugar.  You might think of cheese as a potent source of fat and protein.  But your brain knows better:  Cheese also contains natural milk sugar (see Candy)
    2. You’re not getting enough calcium or vitamin D.  Sunlight produces Vit D which we all need, so you might mean you crave a grilled cheese sandwich during cold seasons etc.
    3. You don’t eat enough fat.  Cheese is a good source of this essential nutrient – and it’s only natural to gravitate toward the gooiest and most delicious source.

    Any Other Super-Specific Food

    1. You’re reacting to a sensory cue or an emotional trigger.
    2. You’re denying yourself that food.  Obviously cutting specific foods out of your diet makes you want that food even more.  It’s why you should allow yourself at least a little bit of every food you love.

    Things To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving

    The Briars article on Things To BeThankful For This Thanksgiving     briars.ca

    With Thanksgiving fast approaching, we began thinking about the many different things our staff and clients may be thankful for.  Below are just some of the things we could help us feel gracious of:

     Time Spent With Loved Ones

    With busy lives and chaotic schedules, it can be hard to set time aside to truly connect and embrace time spent with your loved ones.  This Thanksgiving, gather your friends and family and remind them how valued and appreciated they are.  Share stories, share laughs, and share the gift of time – there’s no better present.

    “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend” – Melody Beattie.

    Relaxing Sunday Afternoons

    The weekend isn’t quite over, you’ve got all day to lay around in your pajamas, maybe take a nap, try that new restaurant around the block, watch movies with you family, go for a walk, or cuddle with your pet.  Relaxing Sundays are always good for the soul, and they definitely deserve some recognition for being so great.

    Your Friendly Neighbours

    Thanksgiving is also a great time to say “thank you” or to show appreciation for your kind neighbors.  Bake some cookies,write a short note, or simply share a hug to show those in your community that you care and are there for them.  Good neighbors are always great  to have!  You may become really close friends over time!

    A warm Cup Of Coffee

    Mmmmmm you’ve just poured that delicious cup of coffee, and you wait a few minutes to take your first sip – the temperature has to be just right.  You life your favorite mug to your lips, and your taste buds rejoice!  Being thankful for the small things is just as important as being thankful for the big things.

    Locally Grown Food

    Many of us take for granted our ability to purchase delicious, health, and locally grown vegetables and fruit – right in our own communities.  Juicy tomatoes, corn on the cob, and delicious apples.  Buy locally and support the farmers who work so hard to raise their crops.

    Sharing A Good Book

    There’s nothing like sitting down in a comfy spot to enjoy a few hours with a good book.  Reading helps us to de-stress, unwind , and to escape into another world.  Good books can be hard to find, as each person has different preferences and interests, but when you do find a good book, be sure to recommend it to a friend.  It may impact their life too.

    Cozy Blankets

    You might not think to be thankful for cozy blankets, but as the temperature drops, and you’re racing into your home after a long day at work, we can guarantee a cozy blanket is just what you need.  Whether your blanket is wool, cashmere, cotton, or fluffy, wrap it around yourself and take a few moments to breathe, relax, snuggle in, and count your blessings.

    Live Music

    Music is always better LIVE.  Take a moment to appreciate your favorite genre, artists, and those songs that have stuck with you for years.  If you get the change, secure some tickets to a live concert or attend a local music festival.  If you play an instrument yourself, take advantage and play a few tunes for your friends to enjoy.  Sweet Caroline anyone?

    Great Co-workers

    Having really great co-workers is something that is often taken for granted.  This Thanksgiving, be sure to show some appreciation for those who make your workday better – by helping you with tasks, eating lunch with you, and checking in to see how you’re doing.  If you have a great boss, be sure to show them some love too.  Gratefulness goes a long way in reminding people they’re valued and are doing a great job.

    Canadian Citizenship

    It’s great to be Canadian.  While counting your many blessings, don’t forget how fortunate you are to live in such a beautiful, safe, diverse, and innovative country.  As Canadians, we have access to stunning mountains, lakes, rivers, trails, parks and spirit.  Not all individuals are as lucky as you to have been given the opportunity to succeed in this great nation.  Embrace your ability to lead and continue the great strides Canada is taking.

    Traditional Holiday Recipes

    Last but not least, be thankful for those delicious, traditional, and ancient recipes for pies, cakes, and other desserts.  Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without food – and without the passing down  of those secret and perfected recipes, you likely wouldn’t hve many of the special traditions you’re able to enjoy this time of the year.  Now pass the pumpkin pie will ya!

    Positive Reminders

    Wisdom begins in wonder.   – Socrates –

    The soul’s joy lies in doing.  – Percy Bysshe Shelley – 

    Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.  -Victor Hugo – 

    This moment contains all moments.  -C.S. Lewis –