Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts

Thursday, 17 May 2018

How I Changed My Life for the Better

How I Changed My Life for the Better

changed life better
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” – Lao Tzu
A few years ago, I decided to change my life for the better. I thought I would write about the changes I decided to make in case others could benefit from it. There were numerous reasons why I wanted to make these life alterations, but the main ones were:
1. I knew I was capable of so much more. I wanted to make an effort to exploit my full potential and accomplish more and I was not doing that.
2. I was not in the best of health. I was too sedentary, out of shape, had visceral body fat around my waist, I kept late hours, and I drank too much alcohol.
3. My overall lifestyle habits were not conducive towards a healthy and productive life.
4. I wanted to be more mindful and happy and worry less.
I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. That was my motivation. I conducted a lot of research online and read many books on happiness, health, success, productivity and overall wellness. After devouring a wealth of information from famous self-help experts and some not so famous ones, I recognized a commonality between all of them as they pretty much were all advocating similar strategies.
I carefully and discriminately decided on the changes I would make in my life. I purposely chose changes that were practical, effective and achievable for me. I wanted lasting changes and not temporary ones that were based on euphoria. For certain aspects, I made complete 180 degree changes while for others I made small behavioral changes. I did this because certain changes were harder for me to make than others.
I came up with a list of 31 specific habits that I wanted to change. Here is what I did:
1. I decided to have a daily routine which I followed diligently. I did not have to wake up in the morning and figure out what I needed to do because I had a routine that I adhered to. It eradicated the guesswork.
2. I set clear goals that I wanted to achieve. I wrote these down so that there was no ambiguity. These goals were specific and clearly stated so that it was obvious when I achieved them (or didn’t). Because there was no vagueness, I knew when I fell short.
3. Based on the advice of others, I made sure the goals I set were quantifiable and measurable. For example, rather than saying I would exercise often (what does often mean?), I said that I would exercise 4 times per week for 1 hour each time. Because my goals were so specific, I was able to review my progress (or lack of) easily. And I did a review every week.
4. Not only did I develop a daily routine, I also decided to plan my days and week in advance. Rather than leave things to chance or to what I felt like doing at the moment, I planned each day and week by listing specific things that I wanted to accomplish. For example, I decided to do my grocery shopping on a Monday afternoon when the store was less crowded and numerous items went on sale.
5. I learned to meditate and incorporated that into my daily routine. This one change has made a huge impact on my life. I now meditate every morning after I wake up. It has taught me so much about myself, helped me concentrate more, and become more mindful. It also has made me realize that my thoughts can be extremely rambunctious and that I do not always have to attach myself to them.
6. I decided to join my local gym and exercise 5 days a week. I do this in the mornings before I start work. I lift weights and then do a 20-minute cardio workout. My gym also offers classes (free with the gym membership) such as yoga which I sometimes join.
7. Another change I decided to make was to get rid of or distance myself from friends whom I considered to be toxic or bad examples. I knew that I wanted friends who had a positive influence on me.
8. Related to number 7, I started making new friends with people I considered to be positive influences. I also spent more time with existing friends who shared my goals to be a better person.
9. I made a commitment to pay closer attention to my nutrition and eat healthier food. I cut out junk food, sodas, excessive fat, and processed foods. I actually started paying attention to nutritional labels.
10. I also decided to cook more food at home rather than eating out. I love to cook so this change was not as difficult for me as for some. I now control what I cook and how much fat is added to my food. And I have been saving a ton of money by eating out less. And when I do eat out, I try to order healthier items on the menu.
11. Another change I chose to make pertains to reading. I decided to read more books. I used to read a lot when I was younger but, somehow, fell out of the habit. I now download great books on my Kindle app and read them before bed at night on my iPad or phone.
12. I have curtailed my TV viewing and now watch much less television compared to before. I have used this time to read more.
13. When I do watch TV now, I refrain from watching negative and frivolous programming. I used to watch reality shows and loved watching crime shows like Unusual Suspects but found them to have no real merit or educational value. Some of the programs that I used to watch would actually have a negative impact on me and subliminally get me depressed. My remote control is now used a lot more discriminately to find shows that are uplifting and educational. I love channels like National Geographic, Discovery, and PBS.
14. I cannot believe how much time I wasted in the past surfing the internet and visiting web sites that posted junk. Today, I am more aware of the choices I make with my mouse and I avoid web sites that predominantly post violent, discriminatory, sexual and useless information.
15. After reading about the virtues of being grateful, I now list 5 things every night that I am grateful for before I fall asleep. It could be simple things like enjoying a nice meal or spending quality time with a loved one. This has made me appreciate my blessings so much more and made me more thankful.
16. A major change I have made in my life is to drastically cut back on the amount of alcohol I consume. I still drink wine in moderation but I do not indulge in vodka and binge drinking like I did before.
17. In the past, I managed to convince myself that I was a night owl and definitely not a morning person. During the week, I now climb into bed by 10PM and wake up much earlier than before. It took a while for me to adjust my sleep habits and I now realize that it is possible to follow the adage early to bed, early to rise. I feel so much more rested these days.
18. Another major change I have made in my life is being more careful with my money. I now am a lot more discriminate when it comes to buying stuff and I have learned to source out great bargains. I save a lot more than I did before.
19. In addition to saving more money, I also invest my money now. I have become a silent partner in a business and have also invested in my own business.
20. Rather than spend money buying frivolous stuff that I do not need, I now spend money on memorable experiences that I know I will cherish. Whether it is going to visit my mother who lives overseas or going kayaking, I now spend my money on great experiences that teach me a lot and afford me a lot of fun.
21. I have decided to stay in closer contact with family and friends whom I care about deeply. I used to be more self-centered and neglected staying in touch with my loved ones. I now take the time to call my Mom more often, write more personal e-mails and letters, and simply be a better friend and family member. This has brought me so much closer to those I cherish.
22. One thing that I have changed and do much better now is managing my time. I did not realize how much I was wasting in a typical day on frivolous things, be it daydreaming, spending time in a bar, watching boring TV commercials, trolling the internet for useless gossip, etc. I now am more aware of how I spend the most precious commodity all of us have been given, time.
23. Forgiveness is a big one for me. I can honestly say that I used be bad at forgiving others and myself. I was equally hard on others whom I perceived had wronged me, as well as on myself for all my past mistakes. I spent a lot of time learning to forgive myself and others and this has freed me from so much anger and resentment.
24. In addition to meditation, I have learned to incorporate visualization/guided imagery into my daily routine. Every morning before I meditate, I visualize and picture outcomes and goals that I desire. I do not just visualize it; I actually try to feel the feeling of actually accomplishing the outcome. I have found this to be extremely powerful.
25. I have to admit that I used to be a coward when it came to visiting the doctor or dentist. For years, I avoided them like the plague. However, I now have chosen to view going to the doctor and dentist frequently in a more positive light. I schedule visits regularly and my fear has been greatly reduced. I focus on the fact that prevention is better than cure.
26. In the past, I have been guilty of spending too much time at bars and clubs. I now have cut back on those activities significantly and substituted them with more wholesome activities. I am now more likely to go hiking, visiting a state park, taking up photography, bird watching, going to the beach, joining a yoga class, etc.
27. I learned to not to try and seek the approval of others as I often did before. This was a big change for me because I definitely tried too hard to please others, even if it meant sacrificing my authenticity. I would get upset if I incurred the disapproval of others. Instead, I now use my conscience as my guide and, while I try to be sensitive to how others feel, I do not allow it to run my life. I know that I cannot please everyone.
28. Another major change I have made in my life is making time to learn new skills and increasing my knowledge. I am more likely to enroll in a photography class now, or watch a TED talk, or choose a great documentary on Netflix to watch as compared to before. I read books on meditation, exercise, nutrition, etc.
29. If there was an award for procrastination, I think I would have been in the running in the past. I would procrastinate a lot, especially if the task at hand scared me or seemed daunting. I have greatly improved this tendency and now jump into things without letting fear get the better of me. I have learned that the small act of starting a task makes all the difference because it builds momentum and confidence and motivates me to continue.
30. One thing that I do much more now as compared to before is challenging myself to do things that I consider difficult. In the past, I would shy away from difficult endeavors because I was scared and did not believe in myself sufficiently. I realize now that many of these fears were unwarranted. I also know now that challenging yourself is the only way to grow and improve. I now view the discomfort in a different light. If I am uncomfortable doing something, there is a good chance it’s because I am taking myself out of my comfort zone and learning something new.
31. Last and not least, I do my best to love myself now. I do not take myself as seriously and try to practice unconditional self-love. I make a conscious effort to practice simple but positive affirmations throughout the day that emphasize self-love and worth.
I have incorporated these changes gradually over time and have found that each of them supports the other. I’d like to make it clear that in no way am I successful 100% of the time. I am far from perfect and still have many faults. In fact, I fail often. However, two things have happened: 1. I fail less often than I did before, probably because, like anything else, things get easier the more you practice. And 2. When I do fail, I do not let it discourage me like it would have before. I simply learn from my mistakes, make changes and move on.
I can sincerely say that these changes have made me a happier, more successful and more equanimous person. I could not have even imagined the life I have right now, and I am still learning every day.  If I can do it, I know you can, too. I blog about these and other experiences regularly because I want to share my experiences and help others.
I believe in you. What changes are you going to make in your life?

Sunday, 13 May 2018

Positivity, Self Love and All Her Sisters

self love
“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”
– Norman Vincent Peale
I’m going to start off by telling you a story about myself from the past.
Three years ago, I was someone who always had a frown on her face, someone who barely talked to anyone, and someone who constantly snapped at people. There wasn’t any particular reason as to why I was like that. I just wasn’t content. I know how people always tell you- “Be happy”, but here I, on the other hand, believe in being content. What’s the difference you ask? Content is being aware of your situation and your surroundings, flaws and all, and thinking- “This might not be ideal, but I will adapt and make it ideal enough for me.” And that point I was neither happy nor content. I couldn’t really feel anything. I just wanted to be on my own and do absolutely nothing productive.
Then came the night when I decided to change. That particular night, I was bawling on my bed, just being so unhappy with who I was and so afraid of who I was going to be if I didn’t change. I wanted someone to comfort me, but everyone was asleep and I was breaking apart inside. That’s when I started giving myself a pep talk. I said- “Hey, this sucks, but you need to stop right now. You need to go wash your face, go to sleep and tomorrow will be a better day.” I kept saying that to myself, kept chanting it, and eventually I willed myself to get up and wash my face. It was such a small step, getting out of that bed, but that small step convinced me that only I could take care of myself and my mind. And that night before falling asleep, I promised myself I would be kinder to myself and to everyone who maybe, unbeknownst to me, was fighting their own demons.
I spent the next three years trying, in really tiny steps, to be kinder and nicer and positive. Even today, I do sometimes lose my temper or lash out without really meaning to. But I make it a point to make the situation better if anything. I sincerely believe with all my heart, that when you are nice to someone and adore them despite their flaws, they’ll do the same for you.
Positivity is something everyone is capable of harnessing. Every time you go wrong somewhere, or you do something impeccably stupid, don’t bash yourself. Kindly tell yourself that it’s alright, and that you can always try again. Positivity starts when you love yourself and forget about all the things society says is beautiful and is not. Beauty is when you have a good heart and a clear mind. When you love yourself, you’ll eventually begin to see how it is important to smile and let things go, you’ll see how it is essential for your soul that you treat yourself well. Here are some ways you can try to be more positive in your life:

1. Cut out anyone who brings you down emotionally.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. It’s easier said than done. But trust me, this is so very important. I was in a relationship over 2 years ago with a guy who constantly made me feel insecure. He loved me and everything, but he refused to treat me like a partner and I was often left waiting for a message or two. This made me unhappy, and it emotionally drained me. I decided that I needed a new start and I broke it off. Surround yourself with people who want to work, who have infectious energy, who are passionate, and who would never tell you that you aren’t good enough. Again, I know it’s easier said than done, but I promise you, your tribe defines your vibe. If they put you down, you’ll never rise.

2. Believe in constructive criticism.

We all know why we all have days when nothing we do seems good enough. Why? Because of self doubt. That self doubt arises from criticisms we might have heard in the past. It could be about how we work, how we talk, how we smile, or how our body looks. You need to know when to take something in your stride and when to let something pass. Someone said your work needs more…work? Take it in your stride, and focus on being better at it. Someone said your body isn’t attractive? Tell them that’s their opinion and love your body nevertheless. Believe that every critic can help you grow. In both cases afore mentioned, you are growing. One where you learn to work better, the other where you learn to love yourself more.

3. Declutter.

When I say declutter, I mean both your mind and your surroundings. I’m not telling you go clean out your cupboard right away.I myself have an annoyingly full closet. I’m telling you to spend some amount of time to just sit and be calm. If you some sort of project you need to do, something that is important to not mess up, make sure you have a clean desk. Working on a clean desk will make you feel happy and productive. Right before you start, try to stop worrying and just breathe and smile. Yes, just smile. And then begin. As you’re doing your project, keep taking a break for a few seconds, to organize (in your brain) what to do and how to do it. This will ensure you remain calm and give your best all throughout.

4. Fight your negativity.

Every time the voices in your head say- “Psh, you can’t do this”, I urge you to remind them that you can. You can, you can, you can. And then take little steps into doing it.  First things first, you need to stop thinking that the world is against you and all that nonsense. All of that is in your head. No one has the sort of energy to work on throwing your day off, unless you’re James Bond, and if you are, well then, sucks to be you. Focus on all the things you are grateful to have. Like water to drink. Or a clean toilet to poop in. Or having the energy to breathe. Focus on the positive, and the negative will go away.

5. Be kind.

Practice kindness and generosity toward others. Being out of practice, being shy, or not knowing how to reach out to others can only be overcome in the doing, by continually trying until it becomes a natural impulse to be kind and giving to others.Ask for nothing in return. The greatest kindness expects nothing, comes with no strings attached, and places no conditions on anything done or said. Empathize with people. Smile at them. Be the person you want everyone to be so often in your life. Like for example, when you’re driving and want to enter a highway, how many times have you wished the car in the next lane would stop for a while just so you can pass? Be that car. How many times do you wish the person in front of you would hold the door? Be that person. Being a nice person isn’t all that hard. The only ingredients are a smile and a sprinkle of positivity.

6. Love, love, love.

When I say love, I don’t mean fall in love with someone and stalk them to their house and saying this chick in an article told me to. The chick in the article is telling you love the world. Love the pigeons that annoy you so much, realize that that’s just how Nature meant them to be. When you put out love into the universe, the Universe loves you right back and even gives you cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
It’s not that complicated, really. It’s just about being aware, being happy and being content. And then all the little things will fall into place.
And before you go to sleep tonight, ask yourself this-
“Was I a better version of myself today?”

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Tony Robbins: Feeling Lost? How to Find Yourself Again ( Tony Robbins Pa...



Are you feeling lost?

6 Ways to Give Yourself a Mid-Year Boost

6 Ways to Give Yourself a Mid-Year Boost

mid-year boost
“What you resist, persists” – Carl G. Jung
Mid-year is the time of the year I find myself needing a boost.  In the beginning of the year, we’re still buzzing with energy from our holidays and ready to get to conquering the year.  Towards the end of the year, you realize you only have so much time left to get yourself into gear before the holidays roll around again and we start fresh with a new year.  That leaves us with mid-year equidistant from both the January-New-Year motivation and the OMG-it’s-almost-December shock.
The mid-year slump hits me hard creatively.  I set out at the beginning of the year with big plans for my blog and a full editorial calendar.  My ideas flow easily and the motivation to get to work is there.  But as the month’s pass, I slide down into a rut.  The ideas dry up a bit and my drive slows to snails’ pace.  I’m no longer so sure about all the things I had planned and believed in.  Self-doubt sets in.
It’s not the best of feelings.  But in my experience, it’s best to go with it and honor these low energy times.  Embrace your ups and downs and make the most of both.
You might find this is the perfect time for you to re-evaluate all that you’ve been working on since January.  Revisit the goals you set at the beginning of the year and decide if the strategy you set out to achieve those goals is really working for you.  It could also be time to take a small break from what you’ve been up to and try some new stuff.  That can be very invigorating and will definitely help you get your groove back.  Take your low energy stints as a time for you to relax and recoup, to gather your thoughts, and to get back on track or set forth in a new direction.
If like me, you need a bit of a boost mid-year there are a couple of ways you can make the most of this time without fighting it.

Shake Up Your Routine

If you always drink coffee in the morning with a slice of toast and walk to work the same route, bust out of that routine and try something new.  Drink tea and have some fruit for breakfast.  Eat at different places, cook new recipes, try new ingredients.  Walk to work on a different route or ride a bike instead.  Whatever comfortable habits you’ve created all year long shake them up with alternatives.  You don’t have to give anything up permanently just try out a new daily routine.

Try A Different Exercise Regimen

Whatever your current exercise regimen is try something different.  If you’ve been doing hardcore cross-fit try something lighter like yoga or walking.  And vice versa, if you’ve been doing a lighter exercise like yoga, try a box fit class or karate.  As I said before, you’re not looking to make permanent changes here.  You can go back to or keep doing whatever you’ve been doing to date just throw in something completely different to juxtapose your normal exercise regimen.

Change Up Your Reading

If you’ve been reading mostly from a certain genre, topic or viewpoint try something totally different for a while.  This is a great way to get the juices flowing and find some new inspiration.  Read what you wouldn’t normally read, bring out those long and/or difficult reads you’ve put off for so long.  Read the opposite viewpoint of what you would normally read.  Challenge yourself to new reading through different topics and authors.

Go Somewhere New

Pack a weekend bag and hit the road to spend some time somewhere local you’ve not been before.  If you have the means and the time, travel somewhere more distant you’ve always wanted to go.  Keeping it local has its advantages, though.  You’ll get to experience something new close to home and connect with new people who are in your community or geographic vicinity.  Get a refreshed perception of what’s around you and those living there.  You may find renewed inspiration and joy for where you are.

Get Creative

If you have a creative hobby like photography or painting, go out and do more of that.  Also, try new creative hobbies.  If you don’t have one, now is the time to find one.  Creative hobbies are important breaks from your normal grind and give you the freedom to think and express yourself in different ways.  It can be as simple as drawing instead of writing.  The important thing here is that you do something creative, you don’t have to be good at it.

Do Nothing

Yip, do nothing.  Sometimes that’s just what you need.  Don’t feel guilty for spending a bit of time doing nothing.  Go into the garden and just sit.  Go where you feel comfortable and just be.  I’m not suggesting you use the time to allow your mind to run amuck working you up into an anxious mess – none of that.  Just be, don’t think about the past or the future.  Just enjoy this moment of peace doing nothing.
Try one or all of these.  It’s completely up to you.  Whatever you do, though, don’t be disheartened by times of low energy.  Be gentle with yourself and don’t feel bad for taking the time you need to get back some of that joie de vivre.  Life is cyclical – there are ups and downs.  It’s what you do with those times that makes all the difference.
How do you give yourself a boost when you feel less motivated?

Sunday, 6 May 2018

Tony Robbins - What they dont teach you about FEAR



Do you have fear and still act?

A Ballerina’s Story: How I Learned to Love My Body

A Ballerina’s Story: How I Learned to Love My Body

ballerina
Early in life, I learned to view my body as a sort of prison. While other little girls spent time playing and living carefree young lives, I struggled my way through ballet class– attempting to forcefully train my body to be graceful, obedient, and beautiful. Through my journey from student to professional, no matter my efforts, no matter how low my weight, or expertly I executed choreography, I never felt it was enough.
At the root of it all, I felt that my body held me back. “If I’d only been born with narrower shoulders, higher arched feet, longer legs,” I dreamed, “I would be better and do betterMy life would somehow be easier”, I thought. My soul was that of an artist, choosing dance as the medium within which to come alive, but my very human body never seemed good enough to match the ambitions I held for my dance career.
Over time, I began to resent the body I was born with, feeling limited by the “hand I’d been dealt”. I realized that while I couldn’t control the body I was given at birth, I could control how I operated it– working harder, training longer, and being as skinny as possible in order to be the best dancer I could be.
Eyes firmly on the goal to curate my identity as professional ballerina, I adopted so many ways to control, shape, and demand from my body. I used this discipline to transcend and ignore my basic human needs for rest and food– in true “no pain, no gain” fashion.
These habits served me fairly well, or so I thought, until my first major injury at age 29 forced me to take some time away from the stage in order to heal.  Forced to truly partner with my body (instead of dominating and controlling) for the first time in my life, I began a continually unfolding journey of healing and awakening, coming back home to myself.
When I began to understand that my body was something to respect and honor– that I had limits and finite energy that had to be acknowledged—and began acting as such, I realized that my body was an extension of me, my soul made flesh. I realized that my one, greatest responsibility in life was caring for this body every day, because she is my home in this lifetime.
Embodying this realization meant no more excuses, no more blurred boundaries with others, no crappy, convenient, or emotionally-charged food choices. It was time to go beyond the surface level frustrations I held and tap into what really mattered most.
I realized essentially that to hate my body was to, in fact, hate myself. And when I realized just how much I had been unconsciously hating myself all those years, I was heart-broken. I resolved to return to myself– treating myself as a loved one each moment.  Creating love, peace, calm and strength from within, first.
Here are a few of the tools I used:

I studied my unique, individual body.

Not the body, but my body, learning which foods, relationships, activities and movement helped me to feel good vs. relying on mass (confusing) opinions about what worked and what didn’t. When I got to the roots of what my particular body wanted and needed to thrive, my relationship to food changed drastically, I started taking more time for myself and releasing relationships and things that no longer served me. Most importantly, I became more confident about my body and within my life.

I stopped torturing my body with exercise I hated and found movement I loved.

As a dancer, I was taught to “suck it up” and push through intense pain on a daily basis. This meant smiling beautifully– tutu and tiara in tow– regardless of whether my feet were bleeding in my pointe shoes, or my muscles ached and burned from exhaustion.  Ballet requires fierce determination, training, and skill.  Pushing is required. But so is listening to the body and acknowledging the body’s limitations. When I committed to doing things differently—with honor and respect for my body– I realized I seriously disliked most of the ways I’d been keeping myself in shape.  As I began to explore different types of movement that felt great to me, I created space to witness, in awe, all that my body was capable of. It took time for me to release these patterns of forcing and pushing, but come to find out, both my body and I do much better with a gentler approach.

I healed my relationship to food and healed my body in the process.  

Like many of my clients, I was constantly confused and frustrated in my relationship to food.  I never knew what to eat (or what not to eat) and I struggled with consistency and emotionally charged eating.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, I also suffered from a lifetime of food allergies that left me feeling bloated, ill and lethargic regularly.  By returning food to its rightful role in my life—as fuel, nourishment, and a source of healing instead of comfort, stress-relief, or a mindless sport—I began to witness my body change.  My digestion healed, my weight stabilized, my energy increased, and my skin became clear for the first time in my life. By eliminating the foods and eating habits that plagued me, I was able to focus more fully on what I wanted in life.  I finally felt healthy and strong and had the energy and vitality to do more than just constantly obsess over food.

I released obligations, relationships and things that no longer served me. 

Most women are chronic “over-givers”. Our time, energy, and nurturance often go toward everything and everyone else except ourselves.  Recognizing that I needed to make some serious changes in my life starting with my relationship to myself, I knew I had to make my own well-being a priority.  Not out of selfishness or laziness, but out of self-love and self-respect. I implemented stronger boundaries on my time, saying no more frequently and made downtime, relaxation and stress management necessary components of each day instead of occasional luxuries to be had when everything else was complete. Subsequently, I released those people, relationships, and commitments that no longer served me or left me feeling drained.  I made the activities and relationships I needed to feel incredible in my life mandatory priorities.

I transformed my inner dialogue.  

As a dancer, I thought I was happy and healthy because I was thin and active, but my inner world anything but.  I was uncomfortable in my skin and felt like something was missing from my life.  The more I studied holistic well-being, the more I realized that true health goes much deeper than yoga, quinoa and size 2 jeans. If I was cruel and cold to myself internally, no amount of green juice or Pilates would change that (and I love green juice and Pilates!). I had to change the way I spoke to and related to myself on a fundamental level in order for things to really shift. Once I began to treat myself like a loved one, I flourished in all areas of my life and became more consistent in my habits from a place of devotion vs. rigidity.

I started relating to my body as a “she” not an “it”.

When I began to see my body as a living, breathing, female animal with needs all her own– instead of a disobedient beast that held me back from what I really wanted– it became difficult for me to refer to my body as an inanimate object, an “it”.  If I could acknowledge my pets for their innate being-ness with pronouns like “he” or “she”, but not my body, there was a serious disconnect happening.  As I changed this one, simple way of referring to myself, I began to see that my body was truly my best friend, supporting and carrying me through each day like a loyal companion who deserved love, honor, and respect.
As my relationship to my body healed, I began to think of my lineage– my mother, my grandmother, and women and children of future generations. How would their lives be different if they were taught to honor and respect their bodies from the beginning? To feed themselves exquisite food as fuel vs. stuff themselves out of boredom, for comfort, or as a way to soothe painful emotions? If women came to love the bodies they call home—these miraculous creatures we’re entrusted with care of—what would that change in our world?
Our bodies are our windows to life. When we are overweight, sick, tired, overwhelmed, stressed, and downright abusive to ourselves, it seriously inhibits the way we show up in the world. Most women are taught that their bodies are flawed. They receive images in media, comments from others and other constant reminders of all the ways in which they don’t add up, but it’s time for us to rewrite this story starting with ourselves.
It is my deepest belief that when a woman loves the body she calls home, she embraces her power to create the life she was born to live. I am living proof of this as are the hundreds of women I’ve worked with in my Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching practice.  I am consistently inspired and amazed when women take these lessons to heart and I’ve seen lives heal and change in major ways as a result of reconnecting to their amazing bodies.
I invite you to love the body you call home.