What is your vision for wellness?

Now that you have taken a peek into the future, how do you look and feel?

With any change, take it slowly and realistically. What changes would you like to incorporate into your health/wellness lifestyle? Life does not have to be a struggle - so don't make it so. Take a few minutes to write down your wishes and goals, and some ideas to make achieving them fun! Planning is the best way to success. You could begin with (for example):

My wishes/goals for the next three months:

1. Exercise - play frisbee with the dog for 30 minutes once a week.
- walk 2 miles two times per week
- take the children to the park once a week (and play with them, don't just sit)
- park your car farther from the front door of your work, get some extra steps

2. Food - 1/2 of my plate will contain live food, full of enzymes that will nourish me!
- I will take my morning and afternoon snacks to work with me every day

3. Stress - I will cope with stress better by taking 5 deep breaths every hour and notice
how shallow my breathing has become - and I will change that!
- I will realize I can only control myself - not others

Get your imagination going...you are planning the rest of your life!!!

Hugs,
Gin

Want to see into the future?

This technique can be fun - and it can also be alarming.

Would you like to see what you might look like in 20 years?

1. Think about your eating habits, sleeping habits, drinking, emotional life, your attitude, your exercise level (couch potato?) - you get the picture.

2. Now think about someone you know that mirrors your style of living and is 20 years older than you are right now.

3. Notice their health, skin tone, level of agility/flexibility, cognitive thinking, mental attitude, zest for life...are they always focused on their aches and pains? (you manifest what you focus on) Does their body skin sag...face look like leather...hair completely white?

4. Now, visualize yourself in 20 years - how do you look and feel with your present wellness program? Do you need to make some changes?

This can be a life changing exercise.

Next, the game plan for wellness.

Hugs,
Gin

Mistakes

"Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life."
- Sophia Loren

Really, it's no fun trying to be perfect. You don't learn much either. Be fearless - go out and live!
As Nike says..."Just Do It."

Hugs,
Gin

Closet Clutter

Did you ever stop to think of the correlation between a closet full of clutter and your cluttered mind? Well, there is a connection. Too much "stuff" can clutter your mind and prevent you from allowing anything new into your life. Hmmm. Who likes being stagnant in their life? Not me! It certainly is not like "out of sight, out of mind" - remember how your subconscious works like a minimized computer window? The clutter behind a closed door might not be in your face, but it's running in your subconscious non-stop. Your mind does have limited space, why would you want to fill it with unnecessary "stuff"? Clean out a closet. Donate, donate, donate, and help others. Journal how good you feel, what thoughts pop up when you are done cleaning your closet? Do you feel better about coming home? Do you feel more motivated? Clean your closets!!! It's a great place to begin.

Hugs,
Gin

Are you playing the victim?

Are you playing the victim role? Are you able to recognize the signs in others...how about in your children? Are you keeping your children (whatever their age) responsible for themselves and their actions?

Here are the obvious red flags to playing the victim role:

1. BLAME - do you blame others...find fault in others...find it difficult to apologize?

2. JUSTIFY - do you try and justify your actions at all costs?

3. COMPLAIN - and whine...join others when they are complaining...remember what we put our attention on grows - if you are complaining...maybe your life is crummy because you are focusing all your attention on complaining thoughts!

Take a break from the victim role!!! Start a new pattern by eliminating any kind of whining or complaining for the next week - AND avoid conversations with others who are complaining. If you want different results...try this!

Hugs,
Gin

Is fear holding you back?

Is fear holding you back in various areas of your life? How many types of opportunities have you passed up because of fear? One afternoon I looked up quotes on fear (trying to examine and eliminate my own fears)...and came up with these quotes that spoke to me:

"Only when we are no longer afraid to we begin to live."
- Dorothy Thompson

"Don' be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is."
- H. Jackson Browne

"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows."
- Japanese proverb

"Feel the fear and do it anyway."
- Susan Jeffers

"Fear breeds fear."
- Byron Janis

"Worry gives a small thing a big shadow."
- Swedish proverb

" You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Examine your fears. Where are they holding you back?

Hugs,
Gin

Thoughts

"the state of the mind changes the state of the body by working through the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. Peace of mind sends the body a "live" message, while depression, fear, and unresolved conflict give it a "die" message. Thus, all healing is scientific, even if science can't yet explain exactly how the unexpected "miracles" occur."
- excerpt from Love, Medicine and Miracles, by Dr. Bernie Siegel

Stubborn, strong-willed with perseverance, these are all good descriptive words for me. I used to function under the assumption that if my mind was strong enough, my body would follow and be strong also. In no way was I convinced that the cells of my body had ears and listened to my every thought. Since I am one of those recipients of the ball bat method of learning, I have now studied and attended numerous seminars which have enlightened me, and I have changed my ways.

If your mind has been in the gutter, thinking negative thoughts (I'm fat, I'm old, I screwed up, I'm scared...) STOP! Be grateful for everything you have! Make lists of what you are grateful for when you think negative thoughts...you created this habit of negativity...you can replace that negative habit with a positive one! See the good in others. See the beauty in nature. Take a walk, notice beautiful architecture - or if you live in a newer "villa" like I do - appreciate the carefully groomed lawns and blooming perennials. HA! Above all, begin somewhere - take positive action!

Hugs,
Gin

Hobby Therapy

OK, what have I been doing instead of posting to this blog? Well, I call it "Hobby Therapy." Saturday morning, while listening to Harry Potter on my iPod, I ended up arranging part of the basement craft area looking for felt and embroidery floss to complete this bootie project for a friend of my daughter's who is due in December. It has been too long since I have been creative and I felt the strong need to complete a project. Luckily I had the presence of mind to tackle a small project. So how do I feel now? Great!!! There really is something soothing when I work with my hands...my mind gets a calming rest...I lose track of time (that's a good thing!)...and I find myself humming! Hmmm, a clue - I should partake in one of my hobbies on a regular basis!

So I'm reminding you to pick up one of your hobbies and create! It's refreshing!

Hugs,
Gin

Do your homework...

Whether you are looking for a dentist, doctor, health food store, nutritionist, do your homework. Ask around and find the best in your area. An ecological dentist - one that doesn't use amalgam fillings, an MD with an alternative background - you get the idea. You will be rewarded for your researching perseverance. Your health is important - you want to see your children grow up, be at that special wedding...take care of yourself!

Hugs,
Gin

The summer of the kittens...

Yes, the summer of the kittens has been a true adventure (details on how the mother cat and surprise kittens came to live with us, in a previous post). I just had to share this picture of Tux, the runt of the litter of kittens born on 5-8-07. He's sooooo cute here. Even at that young age the picture was difficult to capture - he was quite wiggly! Have a great weekend and enjoy your pets!

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
- Immanual Kant

"Dogs have owners, cats have staff."
- Anonymous

"If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer."
- Alfred North Whitehead

"Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later."
- Mary Bly

"...he will be our friend for always and always and always."
- Rudyard Kipling

Hugs,
Gin

Laughing Dog!!!

Laughter is inner jogging.
- Norman Cousins

OK, now I know I can place a picture two times in a row...fantastic!!! This is Swizzle, my chocolate lab. She looks like she is laughing - laughter is good for you, relaxing, and stress relieving, you need to laugh heartily every day! I hope this picture gets you started.

Hugs,
Gin

Pictures on my blog!

YAY!!! This is my first experience putting pictures on my blog! All the text has been boring for me too - it just got to me...and this picture was just too cute not to share. This is Nutmeg, one of our kittens born on May 8, 2007. She is waking up from a nap and yawning. We presently feel like a zoo with 5 cats, 1 chocolate lab, 1 cockatiel, 1 fish, and 4 geckos! Studies prove that pets relax you...well I must be the most relaxed person around!

Hugs,
Gin

Lyfestyle Tips

Try to incorporate some of these tips if you are not already...

- Positive thinking, positive emotions. We become what we think. We need to FEEL joy, gladness, excitement, anticipation, you know - the good stuff. Your body will respond, relax and heal.
- Sleep. Get 8 hours of sleep per night. Go to bed at the same time every night. The hours before midnight are worth two of the sleep hours after midnight.
- No more food 3 hours before bed (if you must, have a piece of fruit - it digests quickly) because your body is busy repairing itself while you sleep - if you have a full stomach...guess where the energy goes...YES, to digest the food, not to repairing your body and making you healthier!
- Upon rising, drink a glass of warm or room temperature water with the juice of 1/2 lemon...this helps support your liver. Love your liver, it has to filter all the toxins you put into your body.
- Dry brush your entire body (except your face) before you take a bath three times a week (or every day if you choose). Do this gently but thoroughly with a natural soft bristle brush. Use short strokes directed toward the heart. This will help with toxin removal, make skin tighten and glow, help eliminate wrinkles (yay!), remove lots of dead skin (so you can sweat more easily), and your skin can breathe better.
- Try to prepare your food with as many organically grown ingredients as you can.
- Water: Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of filtered or bottled water per day.
- Eliminate all artificial sweeteners from your diet.

These suggestions will help take the burden off your body. Be kind to your body. Love your body.

Hugs,
Gin