Tag Archives: Gratitude

3 Easy Tips to Create a Slimmer You in 2013

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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.

 

How to Use Gratitude To Get the Body You Want

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GiftDo you ever catch yourself grumbling or complaining about what someone else did or didn’t do, or even how they did it?

This is particularly prevalent during the holidays.

You may be:

  • Frustrated that your partner isn’t jumping in to do all the extra holiday chores.
  • Irritated or overwhelmed at having to do everything yourself because nobody else can wrap those packages like you.
  • Feeling unappreciated because all the time and energy you have put into making the house festive has gone unnoticed.

What if those negative emotions you are feeling are impacting your wellness?

Negative emotions generate catabolic energy that over time weakens your immune system, exhausts your physical energy, and can make it easier to gain and harder to release weight.

What if letting go of the stress caused by negative emotions also means that you receive the benefits—body, mind, and spirit?

Is it worth your health to let go of anger, frustrations, and resentments that are not only hurting you, but are actually keeping you from the body—and life—you want?

Think about all the time out of your day that you feel frustrated, irritated, overwhelmed, exhausted, or powerless.

Now compare that with how much time you spend feeling appreciative, loving, joyful, content, and hopeful? 

Where is your focus most of the time?

If you are loving more than you are criticizing, awesome! You are already creating a body—and life—that you want.

If you are spending more time grumbling or complaining, how is this reflected back to you in how your body looks and feels?

One simple but profound way to begin shifting your core energy is to spend as little as a minute every day feeling grateful. 

This could be:

  • Praising your partner for helping out, even when they do things differently than how you would have done them. Done equals beautiful!
  • Asking for and appreciating the help that you do get to finish all the extra holiday chores, and letting go of what doesn’t get done.
  • Focusing on the best qualities of everyone you love and forgiving them for not being perfect. And most importantly, forgiving yourself for not being perfect!

Believe it or not, focusing on what you do appreciate for just one minute a day can have a profound impact on your wellness.

No one else is in your mind. No one is forcing you to think or feel anything. If you are holding on to frustrations and irritations it is because you have your mental fist grasped tightly around thoughts that are not serving you.

The solution is to begin to allow those things that frustrate and irritate you to run through your mind like water running through your fingers.

Just let them go.

As soon as you do, you feel lighter emotionally.

You feel relief.

And that new lightness is directly impacting your wellness down to your cellular level.

As you let go of that stress and the negative emotions and focus more on gratitude, it is you that receives the benefit—body, mind, and spirit.

Isn’t your wellness worth it?

Together we can do it!

Five Tips for Practicing Appreciation

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If all you did was just look for things to appreciate you would live a joyous, spectacular life. If there was nothing else that you ever came to understand other than just look for things to appreciate, it’s the only tool you would ever need to predominantly hook you up with who you really are. That’s all you’d need.

— Abraham-Hicks

 

I’ve had a number of clients recently who wanted to start meditating, but didn’t know where to begin.

They know they want the benefits of clearing their mind, tapping into positive anabolic energy that benefits their bodies down to the cellular level, and connecting with All-That-Is (God, the Universe, Source, Higher Coach—whatever works for you). But they struggle with their thoughts, finding the time, and having a peaceful moment to call their own.

  • What if you could get all the benefits of meditation, but you could practice it anywhere?
  • What if you could get so good at it that you could do it standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for your dentist appointment or cable repairman, taking a shower, or traveling on an airplane?
  • What if practicing it could literally help you create the body you want?

This miraculous tool? Practicing appreciation. 

While many people think that gratitude and appreciation are the same thing, appreciation is actually higher on the positive anabolic energy scale. 

This is because gratitude often is still linked to the problem.

For instance, you might be grateful for a really difficult week because it taught you that you could deal with challenging emotions. While that’s an awesome way to begin shifting the negative catabolic energy and emotions you have been experiencing towards a more positive anabolic state, it’s still tied to the negative event or situation.

As I have heard Abraham-Hicks describe it, appreciation is different in that it focuses purely on what you want, what is good, what is working, what is beautiful, what is loved, what makes life vibrant and something that you want to enjoy.

For instance, you may purely appreciate your pets, the clouds that will never look the same in the sky, the abundant sunshine on this beautiful day, easy access to an abundance of clean water, and just the fact that you are alive.

Practicing appreciation generates positive anabolic energy that builds your immune system, and supports your heart and muscles. And it significantly impacts your metabolism and other weight-related systems making it easier to release weight. 

Here are five tips for practicing appreciation.

  • Start small and build from there. Perhaps all you can think of to appreciate is the cup of coffee that you’re drinking. As you take a moment to focus on that, you may realize that you appreciate coffee because of the energy it gives you, the comforting routine of having it every morning, the interaction you have with the staff at the coffee shop, the warmth it gives you on a cold day, etc. Before you know it, you have generated a pretty lengthy list of appreciation.
  • Do it in bed. (This may not be what you think!) Some of the best times to practice appreciation are just before you go to sleep and just after you wake up. This is a great way to set the energy for the day.
  • Make lists. One of the best ways to begin practicing appreciation is to literally write lists of things you appreciate. This can be once a day, or throughout the day. I have one client who keeps her list of appreciation on her phone. Not only does she review it during her daily commute, but she adds to it every time she has a flash of appreciation. Another client has her phone set to chime at a certain time to remind her to focus on appreciation.
  • Use downtime. Anytime you’re waiting is a great time to practice appreciation. And typically, there are lots of things to appreciate during those times if you just stop to look. For instance, just think about all the glorious food at the grocery store! Look around at the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, the rows and rows of food to choose from, even your favorite Greek yogurt in the dairy section. A great exercise while waiting in the checkout line is to mentally walk through the store appreciating your favorite foods.
  • Make it a game. What could you possibly appreciate sitting in traffic? Make it a game to try. It could be that you have a heater on cold days, the opportunity to listen to your favorite music, that it’s a good time to people watch. Who knows what you might find to appreciate if you look for it in odd places.

As you practice, look for changes in your body—and life.

  • Is it easier to say “No” to that extra piece of pie?
  • Did you have the energy—and the desire—to move your body?
  • Are you less stressed when you get to work?
  • Did you refrain from yelling at your kids when they seemed to be dragging their feet?
  • Did you let go of what someone says that in the past you might have taken as a slight?
  • Are you quicker to cut the checkout person a little slack?

All of that is helping you create optimal wellness.

Today and every day, reflect on the good things that happen and all that you appreciate. Then look forward to tomorrow with anticipation.

Together we can do it!

 

Thankful for You!

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Today is the American holiday of Thanksgiving.

And one of the things I am most thankful for is . . . You!

Thank you for being readers, commenters, clients, friends, and family. Thank you for your trust, time, energy, and support. Thank you for your friendship and love.

These are gifts that I do not take for granted.

Each of you means more to me than you can possibly imagine. I count you as a blessing in my life.

May you and yours have a joy-filled day.

With much love and appreciation,

Hanna

 

 

More Blessed Than Many

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After a late night arrival and a week away from home, I am taking the opportunity to share a fabulous blog from Gina at Professions for PEACE.

Many years ago I took a course that had an instructor who advocated the concept of gratitude.

He shared how he began every day and ended every evening by listing all that he had to be thankful for. He told us how as soon as he woke, he’d begin listing in his mind all the things he felt thankful for. His wife sleeping beside him. The blanket over them. The mattress underneath. The roof overhead. And on and on, his list would multiply throughout the day.

He instructed that every day we write out a list of one hundred things to be thankful for. He’d enthuse, “It’s easy! That’s a short list, so let’s get going!”

If a student was going through a rough time and couldn’t think of anything to be thankful for, he would always begin talking about health.

He’d discuss giving thanks for our sense of sight, of hearing, of smell, taste and touch. He’d remind people to be thankful for having free mobility, and not needing a wheelchair or crutches.

Then he’d talk about being pain-free and remembering to not take that for granted.

He’d ask, “Do you suffer from painful indigestion? Headaches? Heartburn? Are you suffering right now…? No? Thank goodness. Then give thanks for that! Has your back ever gotten out of alignment and really hurt you? Yes? Is it hurting you now? No? Great! Write it down. Give thanks for that.” 

He was a passionate trainer and enjoyed getting people fired up about how much there is to be thankful for. Once we started our lists, the items would grow quickly. We would give thanks for the people that cared about us, as well as those that don’t—for they teach us to not worry about anyone who doesn’t like us.

We would give thanks for times of sickness or scarcity or heartbreak, for these times teach us to more fully appreciate our wellness and abundance and love.

I took that course over twenty years ago. I’ve grown older, and have been through experiences that I’d not wish on anyone. Yet no matter what has happened, no matter the hurts I’ve been through, I have found that this view of gratitude always holds true.

We simply cannot hold thoughts of gratitude and depression at the same time. If we are willing to truly open our eyes and see, we are always better off than someone out there. We always have something to be thankful for.

When we focus on how much we have to be grateful for, our burdens feel lighter. Our sense of humor returns. And most importantly for me, I feel a sense of wonder and joy everywhere I look. I actually feel closer to God. 

As the 14th century mystic Meister Eckhart put it so wisely, “If the only prayer you ever say in your life is ‘thank you’ that would suffice.”

Seek out things to be thankful for. Remembering this simple yet crucial concept will consistently lift your spirits and brighten your day.

It works for me!

Gina is a creative design junkie, neophyte web-head, optimist extraordinaire, sustainable gardening aficionado, gourmet comfort-food cook, undiscovered comic voice actor, pet whisperer, snail-mail enthusiast, collector of antique poetry, and proud proponent of the kindness of strangers.

Whew. But wait! There’s more!

She is a hopeful romantic and adores her beloved husband. She is incredibly proud of her two grown sons.

Along with this, she is a spiritual philosopher. She celebrates the precious common thread woven through all the world’s great religions that encourages us to Love. Her spiritual journey and goal of each day is to remember how loved she is and to share that love outwardly.

Check out her blog at http://professionsforpeace.com/

 

A Winning Formula

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While I’m in Washington D.C. giving two Energy Leadership workshops, I’ve asked a few fabulous bloggers to step in. Today’s post is by Kristin Barton Cuthriell.

What do you choose to see?

If you view the glass half empty, your focus will be on that which you do not have. If you view the glass half full, you will feel grateful for that which you have.

Perspective, my friend, perspective. It really is the key to happiness.

What glasses will you put on today? What will you choose to see? What will you choose to do? Where is your focus?

“From thoughts to feelings to actions, they will all react affirmatively when you stay inspired and get out in front of yourself in ways that are consistent with what you want to become. Declare yourself to be a genius, to be an expert, to be in an atmosphere of abundance, and keep that vision so passionately that you can do nothing but act upon it. As you do, you will send out the attraction energy that will work with you to materialize your actions based upon these stated declarations.”

-Dr. Wayne Dyer 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace

“We often become what we believe ourselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. When I believe I can, I acquire the ability to do it, even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.”

-Gandhi

“No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities always see them, for they’re always there.”

– Norman Vincent Peale

“Where there is no vision the people perish.”

-Proverbs 29:18

“Determine that the thing can and shall be done and then we shall find the way.”

-Abraham Lincoln

A winning formula: Vision + Action + Lots and lots of hard work = Dream Realized

Related articles

• The luxury of a half-empty glass (toughmindedoptimism.wordpress.com)

• Half Full Glass of Positivity (forthelma.wordpress.com)

• Limitless Possibilities for Top Performers – What makes them tick? (bettermanagers.com)

• Glass Half Full (thecriticalpath.info)

• The Power of Intention (coalitionofpositiveenergy.com)

Kristin Barton Cuthriell, M.Ed, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and educator currently working in private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families. She utilizes a hope based cognitive behavior approach to therapy and other empirically validated treatments to help individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and difficult life transitions.

Prior to entering the mental health field, Kristin spent a decade teaching first, third, and sixth grades. She received a BA in Education from Virginia Tech and went on to earn her Master’s in Education and her Master’s in Social Work. Kristin also enjoys speaking and writing and is currently working on a book designed to help people live more fulfilling lives.

You can read her blog at http://letlifeinpractices.com/2012/09/09/a-winning-formula/

Signs of Progress

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One year ago today, I published my first blog on this site.

That was me lining up my thoughts and beliefs with my actions and desires, and saying a big “Yes!” to the future I envisioned.

Since then, I have not only published a wellness tip and a blog six days a week, but I have interacted with you fabulous readers, read some amazing writing on others’ blogs, been inspired and hopefully given inspiration—maybe even to you.

I also successfully dealt with my own wellness challenges—including a major surgery—improved my nutrition, and have maintained my weight and fitness level.

In addition, I completed my coaching certifications and my business has taken off—I’ve even hired a business coach to help me with it. I’m super excited about the changes I have coming as a result, including a new website, coaching programs, e-book, beach-side Love Your Way Slim retreat, and much, much more!

More importantly, I love my life—and the people in it—more than I ever dreamed possible!

My intention with this blog has been—and will remain—to inspire and provide value to you fabulous readers. Each blog is an expression of how much I appreciate your time, your energy, where you are in life and on your wellness journey, our connection, and Who you are as a person.

Thank you for all the follows, likes, awards, support, and comments. They have all been felt and appreciated. And the greatest honor of all has been your letting me know when a blog has moved or inspired you.

And I especially want to thank all you readers who have been with me from those early days. Knowing you were reading and cheering me on made all the difference in the world. Much love and appreciation to each of you.

Here’s to the changes and growth we will all experience together in the coming year. I look forward to connecting more deeply with you as we share our personal wellness journeys.

Together we can do it!

 

PS Just for fun, here is my first post. I’ve come a long way, baby!

Celebrate the Signs!

Posted on September 3, 2011

Wellness Tip of the Weekend: Have faith in your ability to make the decisions that will create optimal health—and then follow through with them.

Every moment of every day we are creating our life. Each decision will either hold us in place or move us towards the person we want to become. If you want to be fit, strong, and lean, then consistently make the decisions that someone who is fit, strong, and lean would make.

Each successful decision, each pound lost–each tiny sign of progress–is like the scenery passing by on a car trip. It is the landmark on the map showing you that you are moving towards the person you want to be. Celebrate those signs, no matter how small! It means you are succeeding!

Together we can do it!

 

 

Tips to Increase Your Momentum Towards Meeting Your Goals

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One of the ways I used to trip myself up was to second-guess everything I was doing.

While doing one workout, I was wondering if another might be better. I’d spend a lot of mental energy debating between taking the elevator or stairs, and mentally chastise myself if I ate a protein bar instead of drinking a protein shake.

Being wishy-washy about your decisions—or downright critical—is the mental equivalent of letting the air out of your tires. It is an energetic leak that will slow the success you really want.

While debating your decision when the choices are fairly similar will slow your progress, you will give yourself a flat tire in a second if you choose something you believe is actually harmful.

Negative catabolic thoughts and emotion can literally impact your metabolism and other weight-related systems making it easier to gain and harder to release weight. Actually doing the action you believe to be detrimental—and the resulting guilt, shame, etc.—increases the negative effects.

Remember this the next time you are having a thought such as, “That cake is so fattening. I really shouldn’t eat it.”

This is because every action is preceded by a thought and belief, all of which have energy. Think of each step as increasing your momentum. Aligning the energy of a thought, with the energy of a belief, and energy of the action in the direction of your goal is like a train gaining speed towards your destination. It has the full force of momentum behind it.

The energy of an action that is heading in the opposite direction of your thought or belief is like having a head-on collision. At the very least it’s painful. At worst, it can derail your efforts.

The key is to put all of your support behind your decisions.

You do that by:

  • Being present and committed to what you are doing in the moment. For instance, put all of your energy into the workout you are doing. You can then gauge by the results you are getting if you need to rethink your plan.
  • Making decisions quickly. Don’t waste a lot of energy debating between a protein bar and shake. Pick one and move on.
  • Choosing the option that feels best. There are days it feels good to your body to take the stairs. There are days your body needs a rest and the elevator feels better. Pay attention to how the decision feels, and choose the better feeling option. It’s always the right one.
  • Fully committing to the choice you are making, particularly if they are pretty similar. If grabbing a protein bar helps you get out of the house on time, that’s a great option. Don’t second guess it. You can even boost the power of the decision by being grateful for the option.
  • Getting your thoughts, beliefs, and actions in alignment. If you believe eating any cake on your diet is “bad,” make sure you keep that off your fork. If you really want some cake, how can you feel good about eating it? Perhaps you can align with the idea of having a free meal once a week that will enable you to have a little cake and still meet your goals. Then when you do have some, enjoy it! If you feel guilt afterwards, your thoughts and beliefs aren’t in alignment with your actions.

Pay attention to how you feel. Positive, anabolic emotions such as confidence, contentment, eagerness, etc., are a sign that you are headed towards your goals and are gaining momentum. Negative catabolic emotions such as guilt, deprivation, doubt, etc., are a warning sign that your thoughts and beliefs are headed in the opposite direction of your goals and that you are in danger of not getting where you want to go.

How can you begin to shift your thoughts and beliefs so that they are in alignment with your actions? What difference does that make in meeting your goals?

Together we can do it!

Isn’t Life Delicious?

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DELICIOUS adj \di-ˈli-shəs\

1: affording great pleasure : delightful

2: appealing to one of the bodily senses especially of taste or smell

Merriam-Webster

Why do you eat?

For very few people is it just to give their bodies the vital nutrients they need to sustain life.

For women who struggle with their weight, eating is often their primary source of pleasure, comfort, satisfaction, and even experience of love.

This is why diets cause such feelings of deprivation.

Who wants to live a life void of pleasurable feelings? Certainly not me!

And you don’t have to!

All that’s happened is that over time—and for a variety of valid reasons—you have shut yourself off from sources of satisfaction, comfort, and love because they have also been sources of pain, dissatisfaction, and loneliness.

The lover who broke your heart, the friend who betrayed you, the parent or boss who tried to control you sent you to the one obvious and consistent source of comfort—food.

It was a totally normal reaction. Food is delicious. It’s pleasurable, satisfying, and comforting. And it’s easy.

But it’s also betrayed you.

It’s caused you to gain weight. It’s negatively impacted your health. It’s momentary comfort is completely outweighed by the overwhelming feelings of guilt and self-loathing that it now causes.

It’s no longer giving you what you were seeking in the first place—those pleasurable feelings.

It’s time to begin looking for these feelings in the only place they will be given consistently. From the only place you can truly count on them being there 100 percent of the time, no matter what you do, say, or be. Where you know you are absolutely loved and adored.

The Source of pleasure, satisfaction, comfort, nourishment, and love is All-That-Is (God, the Universe, Higher Coach—whatever works for you). And your thoughts are what help you tune into these feelings—or not.

No one else is “making” you feel anything. It was not your boyfriend who made you feel unworthy—it was because you believed him.

Thoughts of your unworthiness feel so bad because they are not true. In the eyes of All-That-Is, you are utterly and completely perfect.

But because you have taken the word of a lot of people with limited perspectives over the knowing of All-That-Is, you have pretty well convinced yourself that you are unworthy. You may even have a strong negative reaction to the very idea that you are perfect.

Remember the infant “You” that was in your mother’s arms? Would you judge the infant “You” as anything other than perfect? Would you ever have been “bad” if someone else who had been told they were “bad” hadn’t perpetuated the inaccurate assessment?

Most of what was judged “bad” by others was simply eagerness, exuberance, and joy that was seen as inappropriate by someone who you believed knew better than you.

When your thoughts about yourself are in agreement with what All-That-Is knows about you, your heart sings. You love life. You love other people. You want to give generously. You want to receive all the gifts that life is offering.

Life is delicious, not just food.

At first, changing your thinking feels like walking out on a lake that has frozen over in winter. You aren’t sure how stable and solid the ice is. You don’t trust if it will really support you.

You begin by tentatively sticking a toe out and testing the strength of the ice. If that holds, you then add the weight of your whole foot, and slowly, you venture out further and further until you know that the ice is so strong, you could drive a car out on to it. Once you know how solid and stable it is, you then frolic freely.

So start with thoughts that are the equivalent of tapping your toe to test the ice.

Gratitude is a great place to start. Begin being grateful for the small things in your life that are stable and solid, such as your pillow as you go to sleep, the comfort of a hot shower, the feel of a soft shirt on your skin.

As you practice those thoughts and get more comfortable, begin to look for and savor life experiences that give you pleasure, comfort, satisfaction, and love. Fill up on those experiences instead of food.

For me, having a client experience an “a-ha” moment is absolutely delicious. I feel satisfied when I wake up with a kitty snuggled and purring in the crook of my arm. I savor moments of laughter with my husband. I am nourished by the wind blowing through the leaves as I walk in nature. I feel comfort in quiet moments with friends and family.

Life is juicy and delicious. How can you begin to look for and feel for each and every luscious moment? How does your finding more satisfaction in life change your need to seek comfort from food?

Together we can do it!

That’s A Stretch

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I love how stretching your beliefs is similar to stretching your body.

In both instances, you move in the direction you want to go and when you feel discomfort, you stop pushing, relax, and breathe.

In stretching your body, you move until you feel physical discomfort, and then you stop and breathe into it. As you relax and breathe, the muscles begin to release. As you repeat this over time, your muscles become more flexible and you can reach further until you have a new physical limit. From this new place, you stop pushing, relax, and breathe.

When shifting beliefs, you stretch your thoughts and mind towards Who you want to be or the life you want to create until you feel emotional discomfort.

This may start out as reaching for a thought of gratitude. That for this instant, you can relax and breathe, and be grateful for being right where you are.

As you practice that, you may then be able to reach for the belief that you are forgiven. That all the hurts you imposed and horrible things you have said and done are absolved.

And as you practice the belief that you are forgiven, you may then stretch your thoughts to see situations in the past differently so that you can forgive others.

You may then reach for compassion—for others and yourself. You may reach for the belief that not only are you forgiven, but you are accepted. And as you get comfortable with your acceptance you may reach for the belief that you are loved and adored exactly as you are. That you are worthy of good things happening in your life, not because of what you do, but because of Who you are.

As you practice the belief that you are loved, you then may practice appreciating your life and every experience you have ever gone through because it has helped you become Who you are and formed the basis for the absolute unique and special perspective and gifts that only you have—and that are yours to share with the world as fully as possible.

And then you may reach for joy and see the world in an absolutely new and beautiful way. You may release your judgment about other people and how they’re living their lives. You may reach for unconditional love and for absolute passion in every area of your life.

But just like stretching your body is a process, stretching your beliefs is a process, too. Trying to go from depression to joy all at once is like trying to put your head on your knees when you can only touch your shins. You begin where you are and practice.

What can you do today to move your beliefs in the direction you want to go? When you feel discomfort, stop pushing, relax, and breathe. What can you do to practice that? How can you notice and mark your progress?

Together we can do it!