You Only Need One Thing to Make 2013 Your Year!

Love YourselfHappy New Year!

You may be spending this day reflecting on 2012, and setting intentions and making resolutions for 2013.

Would you consider adding something to your list?

How about putting “Love Yourself” at the very top?

This is the primary intention I’m setting for myself in 2013.

I thought I had “loving myself” down. But as I’ve challenged myself to step up in a big way to better serve you, some of those old, negative voices have resurfaced. My business is expanding rapidly, and I’m learning how to up-level my energy to meet the new flow of clients and income.

And this has been a huge gift.

Because it is a vivid reminder of the pain I used to feel on a daily basis as I struggled with my weight. Feeling this old self-doubt and self-criticism has absolutely reinforced my focus and commitment to not only step up my own self-love—but to help you Love Your Way Slim.

No woman deserves to feel this self-inflicted pain.

Fortunately I have the tools, resources, and support to transform my inner critic so that it becomes a powerfully supportive—and loving—ally.

There are a lot of misconceptions about self-love. Self-love is not about conceit or thinking you are “higher and mightier” than anyone else.

In fact, when you are coming from a true place of self-love, it spills over onto everyone—and everything—else.

And a huge bonus! Loving yourself generates positive physical processes that are not only good for your health, but make it easier to release weight.

Loving yourself actually inspires loving action—towards yourself and others.

When you recognize and acknowledge your own intrinsic value, you automatically see it in others. When you feel an abundance of love there is no need to limit the love you give in any way.

So my wish for you in 2013 is that you make loving yourself your number one priority. 

With much love, appreciation, and wishes for 2013 to be your year,

Signature

Hanna Goss, CPC, ELI-MP

Don’t forget to register today for my FREE tele-class to help you revolutionize your weight-loss resolution (so it finally works)!

Transform Your New Year’s Resolution

to Lose Weight!

Make 2013 the Year

You Finally Get the Body You Want 

January 2, 2013, 8 p.m. USA Eastern 

In this content-rich seminar you’ll discover:

  • The Top 5 Ways You are Unknowingly Sabotaging Your Efforts to Lose Weight
  • Why Your Weight is Still a Struggle for You and How to Break the Rebound Weight-gain Cycle Once and For All
  • The Surprising Power You Have to Successfully Lose Weight and Improve the Life of You and Your Family
  • 3 Easy Tips to Transform Your New Year’s Resolution and Turn it into a Reality
  • An Exciting NEW Opportunity to “Love Your Way Slim”
  • And much more . . .

Sign up for the call here! loveyourwayslim.com/transformyourresolution/

Let me help you make 2013 the year you mark “losing weight” off your list of New Year’s Resolutions forever!

Together we can do it!

3 Easy Tips to Create a Slimmer You in 2013

ScaleOver this holiday week, you may have found yourself eating, and eating, and eating!

And you may be beating yourself up about it.

But telling yourself how horrible you are truly is NOT helpful—and it could very well end up making you feel so bad about yourself that you unknowingly sabotage your future efforts to lose weight. 

It will probably go something like this:

You feel fat. You may even feel desperate to lose weight. Every time you feel how tight your clothes are, all you can think about is how much you hate your body.

You know you need to diet and exercise so that you can drop some weight, but it’s the end of the year, right? Why start now?

You make a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. You decide that on January 2nd you are going to start dieting and exercising.

Between now and then you keep eating, and eating, and eating. You are trying to cram in every food you love to prepare for months of hunger and deprivation.

You feel bloated, headachy, and slightly sick.

And you hate yourself even more. You feel ashamed that you’ve let your weight get out of hand—again.

On January 2, you force yourself to work out and you start a diet that drastically cuts the amount of food you’ve been eating.

Each day gets harder and harder.

Maybe your diet lasts for a day or two, or for a week or two, or maybe you are even successful at meeting your goal.

And then you feel your control slip.

You just can’t maintain the rigid diet and exercise “rules” you’ve set in place. You’re tired of being hungry. Your tired of feeling deprived. Your tired of feeling like you aren’t fully living your life.

Before you know it, you’ve regained the weight you’ve lost—and then some.

This time next year, you find yourself putting “losing weight” at the top of your list of New Year’s resolutions—again.

It’s time to say, “ENOUGH!”

There is another way! And you don’t have to follow rigid rules, feel hungry and deprived to get the body you want. (Honestly!)

The first tip  is to ease up on the self-criticism.

This makes sense when you think about the the foundation principle that Energy Attracts Like Energy (also known at the Law of Attraction).

If you spend all your time thinking about the fact that you don’t have the body you want, you are actually creating more life experiences where you are unhappy with your body.

Begin using this Universal Law to work for you instead of against you! 

Start today by focusing on what you can appreciate about your body. By focusing on what is working and what you do like, you will create more opportunities to appreciate and love your body.

The second tip  is to ease up (just slightly!) on the food intake.

This is not the last time you will be able to eat your favorite foods. (I promise!) When you take off the pressure of “never being able to eat this again!” there is not the frenzy to shove everything in now before the “diet deadline.”

Eat what actually feels good. What you really want in this moment. What you can really savor.

There is more than enough. There is plenty. You can still eat your favorite foods AND lose weight. 

Taking the self-imposed pressure off means you will eat less, enjoy more, and start the year maybe not quite as heavy and physically hung-over as you would be otherwise.

You will feel better and have some momentum going on January 2, so beginning to implement some healthier eating doesn’t come as such a shock to your system.

The third tip is to take baby steps.

If going to the extreme of implementing rigid rules and drastically reduced calories is going to make you feel deprived and resentful—and ultimately send your efforts to create the body you want on the skids—then why go that route?

What if instead you committed to eating a little bit healthier today? Or getting in a 10 minute walktoday? And you celebrated what you did, instead of what you didn’t do? Would making that same commitment be a little easier tomorrow? What would your wellness journey look like next week? Next month? In six months?

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC – 531 BC)

What step are you willing to take on your wellness journey today?

When you just keep taking those small steps, it’s not too much time before you have achieved your New Year’s Resolution and have created the body—and lifestyle—you want!

Together we can do it!

I’m offering a FREE tele-class to help you revolutionize your weight-loss resolution (so it finally works)!

Transform Your New Year’s Resolution

to Lose Weight!

Make 2013 the Year

You Finally Get the Body You Want  

 

January 2, 2013, 8 p.m. USA Eastern

In this content-rich seminar you’ll discover:

  • The Top 5 Ways You are Unknowingly Sabotaging Your Efforts to Lose Weight
  • Why Your Weight is Still a Struggle for You and How to Break the Rebound Weight-gain Cycle Once and For All
  • The Surprising Power You Have to Successfully Lose Weight and Improve the Life of You and Your Family
  • 3 Easy Tips to Transform Your New Year’s Resolution and Turn it into a Reality
  • An Exciting NEW Opportunity to “Love Your Way Slim”
  • Plus Much More…

Simply register by filling out the form at loveyourwayslim.com/transformyourresolution/ and you’ll receive access to this free call.

 

Turn Your New Year’s Resolution to Lose Weight into Reality!

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Chances are, losing weight is on your list of New Year’s Resolutions—again!

One of the reasons that New Year’s resolutions are often dead by February 1 is that unknowingly, people are focused on what they don’t want.

For instance, you may be focused on being too fat, or that you aren’t thin enough, fit enough, or healthy enough.

And even though you set the resolution to lose weight, get fit, and healthy, the majority of your thoughts and energy are still focused on the fact that you lack what your resolution is focused on.

When you think about the foundation principle that Energy Attracts Like Energy (also known at the Law of Attraction), you can begin to see that thoughts are our mental capital to invest wherever we want, with the dividends being our future life-experiences.

For instance, when you invest the majority of your mental capital on the fact that you don’t have the body you want, you are actually building the account that creates more life experiences where you are unhappy with your body.

If you invest that mental capital in the belief that your body is already wonderful and is getting better and better, your account includes an increase in life experiences of an ever improving body.

The challenge is, it’s often difficult to recognize where you are investing your thoughts.

It seems like if you are focused on how much you want to be slim you should get the body you want.

No wonder it is incredibly frustrating and discouraging to think you are getting the body you want only to continue to struggle with your weight.

But your life experiences—and body—are always letting you know where you are investing most of your mental capital.

A good way to tell where you are investing your thoughts and energy is by paying attention to how you feel. Focusing on lack feels like yearning or even desperation.

This is why wanting often gets a bad rap; people confuse wanting with yearning. A feeling of lack alwaysfeels bad.

Wanting is a feeling of confidence that you will get the thing you desire. It’s knowing the goal you have set is yours. It’s enjoying the thought of what you want and being thrilled as you watch the process of life shifting to help you achieve your goal. It’s feeling engaged and excited to do the things you can do to bring your request to fruition and letting go of what you can’t control with an absolute knowing that the Universe (God, Source Energy, All-That-Is, Higher Coach—whatever works for you.) is happily engaging all of its incredible resources on your behalf.

But it can be hard to shift your focus from yearning for something to thriving in the process of life that will bring you to your goal.

Often it is easier to move yourself forward by shifting your mental capital from losing weight (or whatever your goal is) and to instead investing it in more general life accounts, such as feeling good most of the time, loving and laughing more easily, and enjoying your life more.

You are still investing your mental capital towards achieving your New Year’s Resolution, but there is less risk that the investments aren’t going into the account you truly intend. You can tell if you are investing more wisely because you feel good.

The bottom line is, Yes! Make the New Year’s resolutions, but pay attention to how you feel, and think about diversifying you mental and energetic investments so that you get a better return.

You can tell you are putting your mental capital where you want because you get the immediate bonus of feeling good right now.

Together we can do it!

I’m offering a FREE tele-class to help you revolutionize your weight-loss resolution (so it finally works)!

Transform Your New Year’s Resolution

to Lose Weight!

Make 2013 the Year

You Finally Get the Body You Want  

 January 2, 2013, 8 p.m. USA Eastern

 In this content-rich seminar you’ll discover:

  • The Top 5 Ways You are Unknowingly Sabotaging Your Efforts to Lose Weight
  • Why Your Weight is Still a Struggle for You and How to Break the Rebound Weight-gain Cycle Once and For All
  • The Surprising Power You Have to Successfully Lose Weight and Improve the Life of You and Your Family
  • 3 Easy Tips to Transform Your New Year’s Resolution and Turn it into a Reality
  • An Exciting NEW Opportunity to “Love Your Way Slim”
  • Plus Much More…

Simply register by filling out the form at loveyourwayslim.com/transformyourresolution/ and you’ll receive access to this free call.

My Wishes for You

Christmas_Presents

Today I want to say, “Thank You!”

Thank you for reading, commenting, and allowing me to be your partner in creating the body you want. Thank you for your friendship, support, and love. Thank you for sharing who you are, and allowing me to share who I am.

I honor and appreciate each of you more than you can possibly imagine. You are at the top of my list of appreciation!

No matter what holiday you celebrate or beliefs you hold, I want to wish you and yours a day filled with hope, contentment, excitement, happiness, appreciation, joy, and most importantly, love.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Much love and appreciation,

Signature

Hanna Goss

Feel Holiday Abundance to Get the Body You Want

GiftsYou are incredibly abundant.

Even if you are lonely, have little or no money, are struggling with your body—you are abundant.

You have an abundance of air to breathe, the abundance of love in your heart, the abundance of being alive in this moment.

While money and gifts are certainly a part of abundance and should be appreciated, there is so much more of life with which to fill our trays. It’s all there waiting for us to look for and allow ourselves to see and receive.

Perhaps you have an abundance of family and friends, or an abundance of time in which to reflect, or an abundance of beauty to admire. You may have an abundance of laughter and excitement, or an abundance of peace and quiet. You may have an abundance of parties and commitments, or an abundance of freedom to live and do as you wish.

These are things that do not cost money and that nobody else can give you. They are there waiting for you to acknowledge—and thus receive.

No matter where you are or what’s going on in your life today, look for and acknowledge your abundance.

Feeling abundant is truly part of the magic of the holidays.

When you feel abundant, the more abundance you are allowing into your life. It is the Law of Attraction in action. This is the foundation principle that “Energy Attracts Like Energy.”

So when you acknowledge your abundance, focus on it, and feel it, the more abundance you are able to see and appreciate. The more abundant you feel.

And a significant bonus from feeling abundant is it’s good for your body!

Feeling abundant creates positive anabolic energy that releases endorphins, testosterone, and body supporting hormones that help your body heal, rebuild, and flow with physical energy.

And yes, makes it easier to release excess weight. 

Feeling abundant is literally good for you!

What abundance can you find in your life right now? No matter what it is, acknowledge it and let your heart overflow with appreciation. Then consciously tap into the feeling of abundance all year long.

Notice how feeling abundant makes it easier to get the body you want.

Together we can do it!

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My blog is moving! To keep following my posts after January 15, you will need to follow my new blog, at LoveYourWaySlim.com. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!

 

 

Take Five to Transform Holiday Stress

christmas-meditator

“Stress isn’t something that happens to someone. It’s something someone feels about what’s happening. Your capacity to deal with any outer situation is based on your inner perspective. . . How we see ourselves determines everything.”

Bruce D. Schneider

There is a lot about the holidays that can impact people’s wellness. One of the biggest culprits is stress.

Holiday stress can come from overeating, or feelings of depression or overwhelment, or challenging relationships, or just too much on your to-do list.

Now I’m going to be perfectly honest and authentic with you.

I’ve been stressed the last couple of weeks.

Oh, it wasn’t the holidays. I’ve learned how to manage getting ready for the holidays in a healthy and balanced way.

None-the-less, for the first time in two years, I found myself stressed and I didn’t listen to my body when it was telling me to slow down. As a result, I’m just now getting over a cold that I had for weeks.

Believe me, the irony of that was not lost on me every day when I was writing my blogs!

The thing is, your wellness and finding balance in your life is never done. You’re not likely get to a place where you can slap your hands together and say, “Woo hoo! I can check wellness off my list of things to do. Thank goodness I’ll never have any more stress again.”

New things will come along that you have to make adjustments for and that require re-finding your balance. That is part of the evolution of life.

So what threw me into serious stress mode?

It was taking my business to the next level by launching my new brand and website last week, getting ready to launch a new coaching program on January 7, and planning my first ever Love Your Way Slim beach-side retreat in April.

What I forgot is that stress is not created by the situation I am in. What I forgot is how powerful I am.

We are the creators of the limitations—and the success—that we experience. When we are stressed, we are not accurately seeing ourselves, what we are capable of, what we deserve, and the support we are receiving from the Universe.

When I was seeing myself as overworked, limited, tired, and overwhelmed, I was not seeing myself accurately.

My coach was able to help me shift my perspective slightly so that I could see myself as capable, confident, energetic, and empowered. She reminded me to ask for the support I needed, and to see the support I already had. And that slight change in perspective made all the difference in the world.

Not only did I immediately feel emotionally better, but I began feeling physically better, too. All of a sudden, I was able to see how to work in the rest and self-care I had been neglecting, and my to-do list didn’t seem so overwhelming.

The only thing that was different was my perception of who I was in relationship to what was happening.

We are all so much more powerful than most of us realize. Huge changes can be made with just a slight shift in how we see ourselves.

While it took my body reminding me of this—and to practice what I preach—the great news is I have the tools and have been able to get my body back in balance.

And even better news is I didn’t fall back into old patterns of reaching for comfort food or overeating.That is a huge win!

Now, I know I’m not the only one who has struggled with stress the last few weeks.

You may be having a really hard time right now. And the idea that your stress is a result of limited self-thinking and faulty beliefs may sound like tosh.

But the Truth is, Who you really are is capable, confident, energetic, empowered, and engaged. The key is shifting your perspective just enough so that you can begin to believe it.

One way to reach for a new thought and perspective is to quiet your mind. Even taking a 5-minute mental break can make a huge difference in how easily you can see solutions to your situation.

Make quieting your mind—even for 5 minutes—a priority over the next few days. 

Do this by:

  • Meditating
  • Going for a walk
  • Taking a nap
  • Enjoying a stress-relieving bath
  • Sitting down with a cup of tea and a good book
  • Taking 3 deep breathes

Even if all you can manage is shutting the door and actually going to the bathroom by yourself, that can be enough to help clear your mind.

Then remind yourself that you are capable, confident, energetic, empowered, and engaged. Harness the power of your self-perception.

I know 5 minutes doesn’t sound like much, but consistently quieting your mind for even just a few minutes a day—and then reminding yourself of Who you really are—can have a profound impact on your physical and emotional health.

When you feel better, you’re better able to take care of your family—and be the version of you that your family actually wants to be around!

Make it a priority today to take a few minutes to quiet your mind and remember Who you really are. What difference does that make in your stress-level? What difference does that make in how much you enjoy your holidays?

Together we can do it!

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My blog is moving! To keep following my posts after January 15, you will need to follow my new blog, at LoveYourWaySlim.com. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!

Simple Tips to Do Now to Make Your New Year’s Resolution to Lose Weight a Reality

Snow Tracks

Many of you may be hitting the road over the next few days to celebrate Christmas or New Year’s with family or friends.

Travel can be one of the hardest times for people to maintain their health and wellness. Throw in holiday stress, and many give up all together.

Instead, you may fall into the pies, cookies, and other holiday treats, resolving to lose weight come January 2.

But how’s that worked out for you in the past?

Chances are you started out strong enough. You may have joined a gym or begun an exercise program. Maybe you beat the odds and kept it going for a month or two—or even met your weight-loss goal.

But then the weight crept back on and here you are at the holidays resolving to lose weight—again.

What if you could make some simple changes now that would improve your chances of successfully losing the weight—and keeping it off—in the New Year?

What if:

  • It’s easier than you currently believe?
  • You can still eat everything you really want?
  • The confidence you generate now will help fuel your success come January 2?

Many people are so focused on the time that they don’t have that they miss all the small opportunities they do have to work physical and emotional wellness into their day.

Here are some practical tips that will help you maintain your wellness while traveling—or while dealing with holiday stress—and give you a head-start on getting the body you want come January.

Eat Only What You Love

Let’s face it. Not everything is calorie worthy.

If it’s not curl your toes and satisfy your soul delicious—don’t eat it.

Be discerning about what you are going to indulge in.

You may feel like its “polite” to eat some of everything, but all that’s doing is keeping you from truly enjoying the foods that you love—and potentially packing on pounds. Most people aren’t paying that much attention to what you are putting on your plate, so pick the one or two items that you truly love and would feel deprived if you weren’t eating.

Then really savor them. You’ll discover that it’s the first few bites that are packed with the most flavor. When you truly focus on and enjoy those first bites you are more satisfied and can keep your portions small.

And if Aunt Matilda complains that you aren’t eating her casserole, tell her you really want to savor it and pack up a serving to eat later–or not!

This is your body! You are empowered to choose what you put into it.

Scope Out Restaurants

More and more families are heading out for holiday meals. Whether you lean towards big chains, or like to sample the local cuisine, the Internet is a great resource.

If you can, check out the on-line menu before you head to dinner so you have planned what you’re going to order. This way, you’ll be less swayed by passing entrees, delicious smells, the bread basket, and a growling tummy to order something less healthy when the waiter finally arrives.

And don’t be afraid to ask for dishes to be prepared in a way that meets your needs. You are paying for the meal, and this is your body. Ask for what you need.

Also, decide how much you are going to eat beforehand. Then ask for a box at the start of the meal to put away the extras, so you can then focus on enjoying the meal and company without eating more than you intended.

Prepare for a Snack Attack

Chances are you will not make a great choice if you reach for a snack at one of the gas stations your stopped at on your trip. And one of the worst things you can do is not eat all day in preparation for a big meal. You are guaranteed that you will overeat and physically pay the price later.

Instead, plan ahead and bring some snacks from home.

These could include:

  • A baggie of various nuts and dried fruit for a quick and easy trail mix.
  • A stash of protein bars or home-made healthy treats.
  • If you have access to a refrigerator, bring along some pre-sliced fruit and vegetables, fat-free Greek yogurt, low-fat cheese, and anything else that you might want that needs refrigeration. Often hotels can put a mini-fridge into your room. Remember to ask for what you need.

Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day will keep your energy level high and hunger at bay without ruining your appetite for the main event.

Drink Lots of Water

You need a lot of extra water while traveling. Bringing a refillable bottle is an easy solution. If you don’t like the taste of the tap water, buy bottled water.

If you forget your reusable bottle, just buy a bottle of water and refill it.

And skip–or if that will make you feel deprived–go easy on the alcohol, which just dehydrates you further and will result in a wicked hangover the next day.

Pack Your Walking Shoes 

Tennis ShoesYou don’t have to get in a full-blown workout to get the benefits of moving your body. Even 10 minutes can boost energy, and make it easier to tolerate Uncle Oliver telling that same story for the billionth time.

Ideas include:

  • Strap on your trainers and walk or run around the block. Feel awkward? Volunteer to walk the dog. (This is a particularly good idea when you start to feel the stress of family dynamics.)
  • Pack your iPod and dance for 10 to 20 minutes in your room.
  • Bringing your computer? Pack a workout DVD that can work out to in the privacy of your room.
  • Do weight bearing exercises, such as push-ups and burpees to get your body moving and the blood circulating.

Bonus! Most of these workouts can be done in your pajamas if your workout clothes didn’t make it in the bag.

Getting in some kind of physical activity is particularly important if you are going to be spending a lot of time sitting in planes, trains, or automobiles.

Catch Your Zs

One of the keys for making sure you rapidly rebound after your trip is to get adequate rest, which can be a challenge in a strange bed hearing noises that you’re not used to, or if you have bright lights peaking through your curtains.

Prepare for these problems by packing an eye pillow or mask, ear plugs, and downloading an app on your cell phone that plays ambient noise, like a fan or rainfall.

You know what adequate rest means for you, so do your best to go to bed at a time that will enable you to get the sleep you need.

And if you do find that you ate more than you planned, heeded the call of a holiday treat, or needed the sleep more than moving your body, don’t beat yourself up.

To make your New Year’s resolution a reality this year, you only need to be consistent, not perfect.

Together we can do it!

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My blog is moving to my new website LoveYourWaySlim.com. To keep following my posts after January 15, you will need to follow my new blog. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!

Take Care of You to Take Care of Others

15837s3rsga1hfaYesterday’s events in Connecticut may have left you reeling emotionally.

While it may feel selfish, now more than ever you need to focus on your own self-care.

This includes gently moving your body, getting enough rest, reaching for some highly nutritious foods, and taking some quiet time for meditation, prayer, or reflection.

And the number one thing you can do for your own wellness?

Ask for the support you need.

  • You may want to go it alone.
  • You may not feel comfortable asking for help.
  • You may be embarrassed by your emotions.

Much of holiday stress is feeling like you are in this alone.

And that’s a really tough, and painful road.

This is not the time to tough it out by yourself.

Study after study shows that having at least one person support you in meeting your wellness goals will dramatically increase your chances of success.

Having support helps you:

  • Normalize what you’re going through—You realize that everyone gets emotionally stressed, overwhelmed, overeats, and has moments of weakness. You are not a failure or a freak.
  • Notice and honor what you are doing for your self-care—Having someone to share the positive steps you are taking helps keep you motivated to take more steps.
  • Problem solve— You’ve got someone on your side who can see your situation more objectively and can help you brainstorm ways around any obstacles.
  • Re-find your inner peace—going it alone makes it easier to get caught in the negative thought spiral going on in your head. Having support helps break the inner patterns enabling you to refocus on the present and the blessings you have in your life.

Where can you find help?

  • Ask a friend or family member—Choose someone who is consistently positive, good at problem solving, and will be uplifting and inspiring.
  • Join a group—There are a number of on-line and in-person support groups. One such site is transformation.com. This incredible free community recognizes that emotions play a big role in wellness.
  • Hire a coach—Consider working one-on-one with a certified professional health or wellness coach who can help you stay focused on your self-care.
  • Go to a counselor–If your fear and grief are so intense that you are having trouble functioning, seek out the help of a professional counselor or therapist.

Taking care of yourself no matter what enables you to take care of others.

And if you have the inner resources to give, reach out to someone and offer unconditional support and encouragement—even love. The result is you both feel better—body, mind and spirit.

What can you do this weekend to reach out for—or give—support?

Having at least one person helping to cheer you on, boost morale, and problem solve will make it easier to take care of you, even in the face of really difficult circumstances.

Together we can do it!

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My blog is moving to my new website LoveYourWaySlim.com. For the next month, I will post both here and there. To keep following my posts after January 15, you will need to follow my new blog. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!

Be Happy Now To Get the Body You Want

Winter HappyDo you need a “reason” to be happy?

Maybe you tell yourself you’ll be happy “when” you lose weight? Or maybe it’s “when” you recover from an illness, meet that deadline, or have a certain amount of money?

I’m going to be completely honest and open with you—I’m guilty of this, too.

For the first time in two years, I’ve found myself putting off “being” happy.

As a result, I’ve been stressed.

And I didn’t listen to my body when it was telling me to slow down. Now, I’m recovering from a lingering cold.

This is an awesome reminder for me that your wellness is never “done.” You can’t mark self-care off your “to-do” list, and proclaim yourself “complete.” It’s an ever-evolving process. New things can come along that you have to adjust to and that require you to re-find your balance.

You have to refocus on being happy now.

What’s given me this “future focus” and caused me to put off being happy?

I’m taking my business to the next level by launching my new brand and website today (!), getting ready to launch a new coaching program in January, and am planning my first ever Love Your Way Slim Beach-side Retreat in April. I’m also giving a free tele-class tonight for Impact ADHD.

My topic tonight? “How to Love Your Way Through Holiday Stress.” Believe me, the irony of that topic was not lost on me while I was putting together this presentation! It may not be the holidays that are stressing me out, but stress is stress.

When I got up this morning, this comment was waiting for me about a blog post I wrote this summer, The Best Reason to Be Happy.

“I’m happy I found this article. It is so true. Everyone should read this first thing in the morning, or right before bed, or whenever needed throughout the day.”

So I went back and read that blog.

Thank you All-That-Is (God, the Universe, Source Energy, Higher Coach—whatever works for you), for the gentle reminder to practice what I preach!

How would it be different if you could be happy on your way to losing weight, recovering from that illness, or even meeting that deadline and planning a new website and program launch?

As I was reminded by what I wrote in July:

Every moment that you deprive yourself of feeling good is like putting yourself in jail and refusing to set yourself free, even though you have the key in your pocket.

Wouldn’t it be better to be happy now?

YES!

Allowing yourself to “be happy now” relieves stress, provides positive anabolic support to your body down to the cellular level, and is just plain more fun!

If you really need a reason to be happy, what reason can you use?

I’m re-sharing this list of things you can use as an excuse to be happy now because as my fabulous reader reminded me this morning, everyone should read this list daily. Including me! 

Reasons to be happy now:

  • The sun has risen.
  • You are receiving these words.
  • Someone somewhere loves you. (Probably a lot of someones.)
  • You are alive this moment of this day.
  • You have some form of nourishment available to you.
  • You have clothes for your body.
  • You have a body that is working well-enough for you to understand these words.
  • There is an abundance of air to breathe.
  • No matter what your state of wellness, your body is knocking itself out on your behalf.
  • You have at least one thing that you’re really good at and enjoy doing.
  • You have a lifetime of experiences that are unique to you.
  • You see the world as no one else does, and your perspective is valuable.
  • Even if it seems the same, this day is different from all the others that have come before.
  • Streams and rivers are flowing, and ocean tides are rising and falling.
  • Chances are you have an abundance of clean water to drink.
  • The Earth is spinning and producing resources to support life.
  • There is an abundance of beauty in the world if you will just look for it.
  • The sun will set and will rise again tomorrow.

How can you add to this list?

What is in your life right now that you can use as a reason to be happy? What about your body is working for you? Are there people, places, or animals that you appreciate? What do you find beautiful? Where are you abundant?

How happy are you willing to let yourself feel right now?

Notice how the energy you get from being happy helps you take the actions to get the body you want.

Together we can do it!

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My blog is moving!  Beginning today, I’m shifting my blog to my new website LoveYourWaySlim.com. For the next month, I will post both here and there. To keep following my posts after January 15, you will need to follow my new blog. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!

One Simple Thing that Can Transform Your Body

waterI don’t write a lot about water.

It’s an easy thing to take for granted.

Here in the U.S., we turn the handle of a faucet and clean water spews forth. We drink it, bathe in it, swim in it, and flush it away.

How often do you stop and truly appreciate this incredible gift that is so critical to your life and wellness?

It’s a little mind-boggling that something so simple that we acquire so easily is so vital for all known forms of life. You can go a long time without food—as long as you are hydrated. The only thing you need more than water to sustain life is the oxygen that you breathe.

I love the factoid that water covers 70.9 percent of the Earth’s surface, and the human body contains roughly the same percentage. It feels like cosmic connection.

To function properly, your body needs between one and seven liters of water per day, depending on the level of activity, temperature, humidity, and other factors. Most advocates agree that about 2 liters (6 to 7 glasses) of water daily is the minimum to maintain proper hydration.

Access to safe drinking water has improved over the last decades in almost every part of the world, but about one billion people still lack access to safe water.

I am grateful that I have more than I need at my fingertips, and that I pay so little for it.

How much water do you drink?

Most people forgo water for coffee, a soft drink, or other beverage.

Today, I encourage you to think about water—the water that makes up your body, that you drink, that you wash your hands and dishes in.

And don’t just think about, but actively appreciate it.

Appreciate the sensation of it on your skin, the cool smoothness of it on your tongue, the beauty of light shining through it, and the benefits that it brings to each cell in your body.

In the hustle and bustle of your holiday errands, appreciate the peace of consciously sipping a glass of water.

Appreciate this substance that is so simple, yet so profoundly important to your wellness—and getting the body you want.

As Dr. Masaru Emoto from Japan has shown, water molecules are impacted by our thoughts, so imagine the benefits of the water you are drinking when you appreciate it.

Now how does that water taste?

How much more willing are you to reach for another glass?

Today, drink to your health.

Together we can do it!

Want to share the gift of water this holiday season? Here are a list of organizations making a difference.

banner4My blog is moving! On Thursday, I will be shifting my blog to my new website LoveYourWaySlim.com. For the next month, I will post both here and there. To keep following my posts after January 15, you will need to follow my new blog. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!