Let Your Life Bloom

Queen of Cheese

For someone who is allergic to dairy, it might sound odd to have this title bestowed upon me. But since I'm the one doing it, I know where to find me if I get upset over it later. Tomorrow, I may be the queen of something else anyway. Often, according to my mate, I am the Queen of Non Sequitur. I'll take that too! It's ok for a lady to have more than one tiara.

As you know, I'm a firm believer in the funny, the magical, and (eh hem) am royalty. The next possible, obvious, step was as the Queen of Cheese. What does it mean? Ah, the infamous new age, human searching question. It means that I have choice, free will, to be who I want to be whenever I want to be. And if I'm feeling cheesy, why not be the queen of it?

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for consistent messaging. You want to know who you're dealing with, especially when it comes to doing something significant like changing yourself/your life. Education counts. As does experience. But, for me, these questions are equally important - Do you like the person? Does the rapport feel comfortable? Do I feel better or worse after I interact with them?

Healthy at Work

How do you feel when you get to work in the morning? What’s your energy like by the end of the day? Whether work feels manageable or overwhelming, your co-workers supportive or draining – taking care of yourself is the key to thriving.

Nothing beats the basics when it comes to your health. Eating healthy food, drinking water, moving your body, and taking deep breaths is the foundation for being effective and clear throughout the day. It’s not about managing stress. It’s about transforming stress into an opportunity for better results - at work and in life – through how you take care of yourself.

A few tips to build your foundation of health:

Eat 
Well – Whole foods and protein sustain your energy and give you the clarity you need to function. Foods high in starch or sugar (think vending machine) send your blood sugar/energy on a roller coaster. Have healthy snacks on hand – nuts, dried fruit, hardboiled egg, hummus.

Slowly –It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to realize that your stomach is full. When you eat fast, you tend to eat more. Slowing down your meals supports your digestion, helps you better absorb nutrients, calms your nervous system, and can help you stay slim!

Drink Water
Stressful situations create toxic revenue in your body. One of the most powerful ways to flush out these toxins is with water. Signs of hunger, headache, and lack of focus can all be traced back to needing water. Drink a tall 8oz glass every two hours, preferably in a reusable bottle – healthy for you, healthy for the planet.

The Top 10

When I was a kid, I loved to make lists. Lists of my favorite songs, toys, movies, books, friends, tv shows, and, well, the list could go on. Today, I'm making a new list, The Top 10...of the moment. Here it is:

1) An almost empty inbox

2) Books, in general, and in particular: Pronoia is the antidote to paranoia

3) The extra furry skin that hangs down from my cat's belly, swashing back and forth when she walks

4) Having people contact me with opportunities to speak, coach, and write

5) Coconut Bliss ice cream, Tahitian Vanilla flavor

6) Even if people don't agree on politics and environmental issues - change is in the air, more dialogue and solutions are happening as a result of what's been in place.

7) A breeze and cooler weather today

8) The watermelon that grows locally and the tasty one in our CSA box this week

9) Being healthy

10) The mini trampoline on my deck currently calling my name. I feel so retro when I jump on it. Need dolpin shorts and feathered hair asap.

What's your Top 10?

I WANT IT!

What do you do when you want something?

Get it. Right? Or at least give it your all in attempts to.

A few years back, I went to a workshop at Esalen. The assumed goal for the weekend was to expect transformation. This was based on talking with all those that had been there before. No pressure.

I'll never forget one particular exercise. It had to do with wanting something and how you respond to that desire.

I was partnered with a smaller guy, about 5'5" - same height as myself. One person would hold the imaginary "want" in their hand and under no conditions were they allowed to give in to the other's desire. The other person could try anything, no holds barred, to get what they wanted.

The room was filled with about 50 people. The roar of the begging, seducing, and yelling was close to deafening. Some people had staring contests. Others gave in quickly citing their lack of caring about something that wasn't real anyhow. A few even tugged on the shirts and shoulders of the others.

And me?

I wrestled him to the ground. For a moment, he actually looked terrified. I almost felt bad, but I had to play the game to the hilt, and I wasn't really going to hurt him. I just wanted what I wanted what I wanted, and you know what, I was going to make him give it to me. After the shock wore off, and he decided he didn't want to be taken down by a lady, he fought back.

We rolled around on the pillows (a requirement for new age retreat centers), grunted, commands were flying as furiously as our arms "Give me" "NO!" "Give me" "NO!" Just as we were close to being out of breath, the one minute timer bell went off.

Exhausted, I gave it one last shot. As genuine as I could be I told him that I was really grateful that he was willing to play with me and that I loved him. I meant it too. I had a good time and I truly felt love towards him for having fun with me (not in a weird way, c'mon people).

His response? Tears, and an opening of his hand to give me my imaginary want.

My tips of the day to get what you want...
1) Play
2) Love

And your tips?

Intuition 101: From cluttered to clear (pt.1)

After having gotten overzealous with Twitter - a microblogging application filled with lots of resources and cool people - I decided to take a few steps back and unplug for awhile.

Don't get me wrong, I love this service. I have met some really interesting folks, had opportunities come my way (like being interviewed for a podcast about healthy habits on The Cravings Coach, listen here). I even won a contest from Green Your Decor (bamboo cutting board, organic kitchen towel & pot holders).

Yet, it hit a point of too much. Information overload. My browser had 20 windows open of links I wanted to check out from the people I follow. I wanted to "tweet" and read "tweets" instead of, well, anything else. Something had to change, yet I couldn't pull myself away when I would hear the ding of someone responding specifically to me. It reminded me of the popularity I felt in my princess days. 

Where does intuition come into the picture?

It told me to stop. It literally said, "Time for a breather. Back off of tweeting. Go for a walk. Then do some writing." I know to listen, because as I mentioned earlier, it's always right. While we all may have different theories on who that voice is and where it comes from, one thing is certain: It exists, and it's your most valuable compass. I know, you've heard me say this before. It's true - from the mundane to the meta - your intuition will guide you in making the best choice for you, in the moment, regardless of the circumstances. It says, hold up, this isn't good, turn left instead of right.

Here's what I've noticed:

Pig Bubbles

I know, I know. It appears that I have gone off the deep end with cartoony pics and posts as of late. I blame it on the heat. I understand that there are very serious matters to attend to in the world today, and in your life in particular. No time for pigs.

Last night, while lamenting over my desire to change a few things in my life, I said "There are moments when I just don't happen to have pink bubbles floating all around me."

Dinner guest says, "What?" I repeated what I said. Her face scrunches up and she incredulously replies, "Pig bubbles?"

"No, pink bubbles"
"Pig bubbles?!"
"NO. PINK BUBBLES."
"What?!"
"Pink bubbles floating around me."
"Ooooh, pink bubbles. Wait, why would you have pink bubbles floating around you?!"
"You know, like happy happy, sparkly me."

By that time, the whole conversation was completely absurd. The laughter took over the lamenting. The rest of the night we'd randomly shout out "Pig bubbles" followed by a burst in hysterics. Uh oh, is this one of those had to be there moments? I hope not.

I'm a professional life coach, health educator, and intuitive. Really I am. Look, I even have testimonials from real people and places to prove it. And...I like to have fun, laugh, enjoy the absurdity of life. I look at it this way, we have a certain amount of time here - in this life - we never know how long that will be. Why not make the most of it? Do what works for you.

For me, in addition to this whole life calling I'm pursuing, I must laugh and tell funny stories. It's healing. It feels good. It's a quick interruption to the drama that lays out so chaotically in our heads and lives sometimes. Here, on this blog, I get to share my laughter with you.

Join me. Post your funny stories.

When you do, you will increase your health and well-being in these ways:

• Boost your immune system
• Lower your blood pressure
• Help you prevent heart disease

For more on the laughter/health connection,
Humor, Laughter, & Health
Laughter: Good for Your Health
Anatomy of an Illness
Try Laughter Yoga, yes, it's real. It's not really funny until you realize it's really funny. Like life, sometimes.

Cheers. To your health and humor.

Ghee: Good for you and smells like cake, too.

For those of you who don't know, Ghee is a form of clarified butter. It's simmered over a low heat until the watery whey floats to the top, clear butter fat is in the middle, and milk solids/protein are on the bottom. The ghee is the middle layer, prized in Ayurvedic medicine for both nutritional and medicinal reasons. 

Because of the way it's processed, it can be cooked at high heat without burning, does not need to be refrigerated, is free from hydrogenated oils, and has no lactose. It stimulates digestion, is anticarcinogenic (helps get rid of the bad stuff), and can be used topically for burns (or as a moisturizer).

For more on the benefits of Ghee, go here and here. My favorite brand is Ancient Organics. It smells like cake.

What happens next?

This is a question posed by a friend to their six-year old daughter. They were taking turns at making up a story and really letting the creative horses come out to play. That's how it is with the imagination - we let ourselves experiment, dream, and be completely unrealistic.

And in life?

How many times have you come up with a reason to not pursue something? An explanation of why something wouldn't work out? A not so good ending to the story you are in the middle of living? Sure, rainbow unicorns may not fly into your window with a gourmet meal and a treasure chest of cold, hard cash. Though I'd be pretty excited if that happened next!

After spending a good part of the morning feeling twisted and turned around by just THINKING about a potential outcome, I decided to try another route. Yes, I'm a fan of law of attraction, affirmations, positive thinking, miracles, and the like. And, sometimes, they don't work for me.

Too easy, too complicated, not in the mood, new agey, or my inner drama queen comes out for a fight the minute a shiny, happy thought enters my world. In other words, my ego takes over and I completely lose sight of the big picture. Otherwise known as being human.

Anyhow, today I had a wild and crazy thought that went like this:
What if this whole shebang we call life was a story? Not metaphorically. Literally.

The idea was appealing enough to buy into it and now my mind is off on a whirlwind adventure. True or not, I feel better. And guess what? When I feel better, I'm much more apt to make healthier choices, clearer decisions, and generally be more capable at whatever I'm doing. Works for me. The stress and worry certainly wasn't getting me anywhere.

I've heard more than a good handful of stories in the past few days that have struck me as completely unreal. Is it out of the ordinary, though, that weird things happen? When you take a few steps back from life and your emotional reaction to it, it can seem quite funny and surreal. The circumstances, the people who are more caricatures than real, your crazy thoughts about it.

Here's what happens next in my story:

• I win a year of Pilates, Yoga, and dance classes at any local studio I wish to attend. The community embraces my fabulousness and strength with a plaque of acknowledgment.
• A very established book publisher contacts me and sets up a paid in advance contract for my next 5 books.
• World peace, rainbow unicorns, gourmet meals, and treasure chests of jewels and cash.
• Five new coaching clients that I'm inspired by sign up today. Is it you?

What happens next in your story? Bonus points for silly.

Chew Chew

It's your local nutrition train conductor giving you the latest and greatest tips to improve your health. Actually, this is a pic from my princess days. I was Thomas for a day. It fit so appropriately with the topic of this post - Chewing your food - that I couldn't resist. Clever, huh? Sometimes I really do impress myself. 

Onward.

Have you ever found yourself multitasking while you eat? Driving and eating? Gulping down a drink with a mouth full of food? Taking extra large bites and attempting to gracefully swallow the large lump of food?

I know you're busy. Places to go. People to see. You eat more for taste than for nutrients. Here's the deal though, if you want the energy to effectively do whatever you're doing, chewing your food helps. And you'll feel better. Your skin will glow. You'll also win the lottery.

Benefits of chewing your food well:

Chewing helps you digest food. Not only does chewing break the food down into easy to swallow mush, it also provides you with digestive enzymes. Our saliva is rich in alpha-amylase and lingual lipase. These fancy words help us break down fats and carbohydrates. What happens in our mouths is the first step in dynamic process of digestion. Even thinking about something "mouth-watering" will start the digestive process rolling. When you properly digest food, not only do you have better nutrient absorption, you'll also have less gas. And won't that make everyone happy?

Magic & Miracles: My definition of 8-8-08

According to Internet buzz, 8-8-08 is a day of numerological significance. While searching for meaning and definition of this, the top stories included the many weddings to take place today and how Chinese culture views 8 as luck, wealth, and fortune. Even astrology weighs in about it.

I'm no numerologist, astrologist, or cultural buff. What I am, is a fan of the unexpected good stuff. Time and again, life has surprised me with delightful experiences that I had no idea were coming. Things I thought weren't possible and couldn't even conceive of happening, have. I don't know why or how it comes together in this way. I just know that I like it.

I like shifting my perception to include possibilities that I hadn't previously considered. In celebration of this, I have decided all good magic and miracles are the theme for the day. And perhaps for tomorrow. Maybe the day after that too.

These are a few of the magic and miracles I've experienced:

~ In grad school, I was struggling financially. Living off of loans, working as much as I could, and not knowing anyone who could give me a money boost. A familiar story for many. I had prayed, asked, cajoled, journaled, and begged the great invisible money gods to bless me with some much needed help. (Yes, I'm a fan of taking action. I was more in the cultivating faith stage at this point in my life.)

After having purposely forgotten my worries and put my attention on other areas of my life, I receive an envelope, at school, with an anonymous card and money order for $1000! I had talked to no one about my need for money. I knew no one that had money. The begging solely took place in the privacy of my own head. The card had a picture of a child halfway climbing over a fence to a green pasture. Inside it said, "I believe in you. I know you can do it. Your friend." Years later, I still have no idea who sent this.

~ Many years ago, I was driving with a friend about an hour or so east of San Diego. There was nothing around. I mean nothing. No stores, people, cars. Just the full moon and miles of flat land. It was a hot night, sundress, windows rolled down, hair flying. We stopped to munch on the fruit we bought. I'm 20, trying to be cute and as I nosh on a grape, it squirts out of my mouth and the juice lands in the eye of said friend (who also happened to be a guy I kind of had a crush on and wanted to impress). That's not the unexpected good stuff, but it was too good of a detail to leave out.

I start getting these images of waterslides. They were nonstop. I was in the fantasy of being at a waterslide park. I said to him, "Wouldn't it be super cool if there were waterslides around here?" He nods, laughs, and says "Yeah, right. There's nothing around here." 10 minutes later, the scenery changes from flat and straight to mountainous and windy. The sun is setting. We see a sign for a...