Let Your Life Bloom

Play time!

Many years ago, in my previous career incarnation as a massage therapist, I taught a workshop called "Play: A holistic approach to health." It was a weekend retreat held in the Santa Cruz mountains with a wacky group of Bay Area holistic practitioners.

I laid out costumes and hats for each person to wear, materials to collage, and children's books to read to each other. I wore a pink wig and used my twister game as a strapless dress. On the tunes? "I feel good" and "Twist and shout" (catch the irony). It was great fun, and even the most serious participant was glowing after.

Actually, what would have been funny is if I very seriously explained the theoretical mechanics of play and the impact that has on physiology over a powerpoint presentation. Dressed as a clown. Ha ha. Next time. 

When's the last time you let yourself really play? Your assignment for the weekend is to go do so. Find a bowling alley, a playground, an ice skating rink, an improv class. Have at it.

 

Ask Coach Vanessa: So tired....snore

Dear Coach Vanessa,

I feel tired a lot. I'm not sure why because I feel like I get enough sleep. I want more energy and don't know how to get it. Besides this issue, I like my life and feel satisfied in general. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
zzzzz

✿✿✿

Hi zzzzz,

I know it must seem pretty easy to equate feeling tired with getting enough sleep. Truth is, there are a lot of factors that affect our energy on a day to day basis. First things first - pay attention to the details and to what brings on the feeling of being tired.

Here are some factors to consider:

Overall picture - When do you feel tired? What circumstances, if any, bring on the tiredness?

Food - What are you eating? Are you over or under-eating? How do you feel after you eat? Are your meals organic and whole foods based? How many (typical) allergens do you consume - soy, dairy, wheat? How much sugar is in your diet? How many glasses of water do you drink a day?

Movement - How often do you move throughout the day? Stretch? Walk? Aerobic? Strengthen your core in how you sit, stand, and walk? How long are you sitting for? When's the last time you did playful movement, like dance or drum or a sport?

These are starting points. I'd encourage you to keep track of your diet (as in what you eat, not a "diet") and movement on a daily basis. The more information and evidence you can gather, the easier it is to make an educated assessment. In the meantime, go visit the 7 basics of health and join me for the Turning a New Leaf program where you'll restore your foundation of health.

Take care,

Coach Vanessa

* The Ask Coach Vanessa column helps you think in the box, outside the box, around the box, and without a box. You will get clarity, resources, a plan of action, and plain old feel better. Got a question or a scenario that you'd like some FREE coaching on? Click 'Email Me" on the bottom right. *

Gobble gobble

The other morning, I woke up and saw 3 wild turkeys outside of my window. There they are. Walking away from the car. Big birds! I had no idea.

Having recently relocated from a thriving urban environment to a thriving rural environment, more wildlife was expected. Squirrels, perhaps. Some deer. But turkeys?

Many cultures revere and respect animals, knowing that they offer us wisdom about our experiences. I've found that the more I consciously interact with the natural world, it helps me to understand the theme of my life at the moment. This insight into what's driving the way I think, feel, and behave then opens the door to new choices.

Whenever an animal shows up, I go to my trusty deck of Medicine Cards and pair that with my intuition to see what's going on for me. According to the cards, turkeys are about "Give-Away" and the sacrifices we make for each other, to give each other life. It's about helping those in need, giving sustenance, and feeling the "spirit of giving" growing in you. This comes in many forms.

Here are a few examples of what I like to give away:

• Laughter
• Attentive listening
• Genuine compliments
• Inspirational comments
• Pie (yes, I like to make pie and then I like to give it away)
• A performance of my fabulous dancing and theatrical abilities

What do you like to give away? What do you like to receive? Two sides of the same coin, and important to experience both to keep the energy flowing. Do share...

Eat cake

In honor of my husband's 39th birthday, let's all eat cake! Here are some healthier cake choices for you to partake in:

"The BEST chocolate cake ever"

Vegan Mango cake

Fresh Apple cake

Hmm, interesting - Lemon Olive Oil cake

and some lovely gluten free delights

Now, to celebrate Paul...

He's funny, easy on the eyes, intelligent, and an excellent writer (oh yes, it's a quality I love in a guy). I know, I know, I'm partial since he's who I chose to hang out with for the rest of my life. He really is cool though and I must sing his praises because I'm glad he was born. Plus it said to "sing praises" and "must laugh at jokes especially ones that make no sense" in our marriage contract, line 31b.

Paul also does great work in the sustainability field (yes, I'm swooning). Check out his blogging about the latest green companies and trends at Triple Pundit, Ecopreneurist, and GreenSmith Consulting (which is also his green business consulting company). Go follow him on Twitter as a birthday gift.

I love you Paul. Happy Birthday!

Movement & Creativity

Ready for a dose of inspiration and new creative ideas? Move your body.

Just like we get locked into ways of thinking about something, we also become habitual in the way we move. In doing so,  it creates stagnation, and sometimes pain, in the body and in our thoughts and feelings. The beauty of this concept is that even a simple shift in motion will unlock the "stuck."

Movement has become more and more important in my life over the past year. The more I move, the better I feel, the easier life seems to get, and the creative, inspiring ideas are flowing. In fact, in the last 6 months, I've come up with three programs that not only inspire me, they make a difference for you! Please join me to Get Clear, Turn a New Leaf, and Let Your Life Bloom.

Ready to move, get creative, and inspire?

Lift your arms above your head, hands open and fingers pointed toward the sky. Extend those arms out, slowly coming down and outlining the upper half of your body. Rest them at your side. This is a great one for clearing out overwhelm, and less than 30 seconds. Everyone has 30 seconds!

Put both feet on the ground. Ideally, take your shoes off (if not, that's ok, too). Wiggle your toes. Get a sense of them gripping the floor beneath you. Feel the heels and underbelly of your feet settling into the floor. Take a moment to appreciate how much your feet do for you. They've taken you to a lot of places! Got issues anywhere in your body? Get your feet firmly planted on the floor and those will shift too.

Did it? Great! Take a deep breath, let the creativity reveal itself, then share it here.

What are they saying?

Version 1



Version 2

Ask Coach Vanessa: Blah, blah, bleh

* The Ask Coach Vanessa column helps you think in the box, outside the box, around the box, and without a box. You will get clarity, resources, a plan of action, and plain old feel better. Got a question or a scenario that you'd like some FREE coaching on? Click 'Email Me" on the bottom right. *

Dear Coach Vanessa,

I feel blah. I have heard countless gurus say that it's better to be positive and happy. Not feeling like that right now. I know it's seems a little extreme, but I feel like being in a bad mood ruins my life. Is that true? How do I get rid of feeling blah? It's bleh.

Signed,
Want to feel better

***

Hi Want to feel better,

I understand the preference for happiness over blah and bleh. Just so we're clear upfront, being in a bad mood does not ruin your life. Not letting yourself be in a bad mood ruins your life. Only kidding, this is the part where you laugh (part of the feeling better technique).

It's normal to have a range of feelings. They are transitory, coming and going according to whatever's going on around you and inside you. We sometimes get into trouble, or rather, caught in the illusion of being "stuck" when:

1) We are resistant to something, not liking the way it's happening, wishing it were different.
2) We are attached to something, thinking it should be a certain way and when it's not we blame "it" for the cause of our suffering.

There's nothing wrong with resistance or attachment. It's more about noticing how you're playing the game of life at the moment and from there, choosing what would be the next most supportive move you could make for yourself. The truth is, feeling good, positive, and happy have many health benefits. And, it's completely ok if you don't feel like that 24/7.

Allow yourself to be where you are by saying to yourself "I give myself permission to feel. My feelings change and they are safe to experience. Life is always supporting me." Seriously, try it. The sun is always shining in back of the clouds. You'll feel the warmth again soon.

Wisdom of the heart ♥

Synchronicity abounds again in my life.

This morning I plopped myself down in a comfy chair at the Broad St. Bistro. Across from me was a sculpture of a heart, mosaic, with it's shiny red puzzle pieces somehow fitting together. Next to me was a guy reading about the heart. Well, drugs for the heart. Not as warm and fuzzy when you share the specifics, huh?

We initially chatted about the heart, how it works and certain conditions (he had a medical background). The details are partially important, as they usually are. Even more important though was the context. The magic and mystery of life never fails to astound me! We are drawn to people at the right moment, giving each other exactly what we need to hear (often without realizing we needed to hear it.)

See, I was born with a heart condition. One that this guy knew all about. In my mind, I recall key aspects about it, the "need to know." As much as I'm a fan of creating health and transforming fear, there are still questions that arise about how I'm doing in this area of the heart. What he shared put me at such ease and relief, especially when he said "What a great problem to have! Out of all the things you could have going on, that one is cake." He gave me explanations, resources, and inspiration.

And me for him? Not only did he get a chance to share what he was obviously knowledgeable and passionate about, he also got connected with his ultimate life goal of creating a heart consulting business. This is typical for me. All my life, even as a kid, I'd get into a "heart to heart" with people. Always, they would end up sharing their life dream with me. I'd watch them light up, their energy shift, and feel like the life they wanted was possible. That's how I knew I found the right field as a life coach, because it fit who I am, not just what I do.

Many times we get so caught up in the doing, absorbed in the moment that we become unconscious of the context, the larger picture. We forget that we are always being guided to what's most important and what's next for us.  Look back on your experiences, see the set up. Start paying attention to your life, now, in a new way. No matter how hard you push the car, your life is still unfolding in a miraculous way. So, do yourself a favor, relax into your life and trust that it's happening exactly as it should.

Feeding our kids well

Yes, our kids.

We all feel the effect when healthy food takes a backseat in the lives of children. It affects their behavior, our health care system, families, schools, the environment, and our collective future. The world has become more of a global community than ever before. We have a grand and noble responsibility to care for each other. It's no longer about "me." It's about "we." So, yes, our kids.

Here are some inspirational organizations helping to feed our kids well:

The Edible Schoolyard - Providing "urban public school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen classroom. Using food systems as a unifying concept, students learn how to grow, harvest, and prepare nutritious seasonal produce. Experiences in the kitchen and garden foster a better understanding of how the natural world sustains us, and promote the environmental and social well being of our school community."

NY Coalition for Healthy School Food - "...works to promote optional plant-based entrees, healthy snack foods, farm to school programs, and nutrition education to encourage healthier choices."

Farm to School - Connecting "schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers."

Let's feed our kids well - locally, organically, seasonally, and with whole foods! They are so worth it, as is our future, as are you. Remember this quote to bring lightness to those dark moments: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead). Anyone that tells you otherwise is full of hooey.

Movement magic

Last year, I got into a crazy accident. When I look back, I'm still floored by the experience of it. Ever have those times where you ask yourself, "Did that really happen?!" I'm still asking myself that and continuing to learn from the answer. It was a huge catalyst for bringing me here, writing to you, on this blog.

My body has taught me, repeatedly, how remarkable it is in its ability to heal and restore balance. How easy it is to forget this when something is physically out of whack. Concern takes over and we wonder, will I ever be healthy again? This thought crosses my mind occasionally when I look down at my left leg. Right under my knee is a large bruise from that accident, almost 9 months later.

Now, get this. After taking a yoga class, it was gone, completely. No mark whatsoever. As I came down from the high of asanas (yoga postures), the bruise re-emerged. The darkness of my skin colored my mood as well. I sought out the yoga teacher for advice. Her response? "Ask your body. It knows what it wants." Brilliant and true!

How often do you defer to other experts to tell you the best cure for you? When did we stop trusting the inherent wisdom of the body we live in every day? Sometimes the answer is so obvious, we look right past it. The bruise disappears every time I take a yoga class. Hmm, anyone thinking I should take more yoga?

What kind of movement best helps you? What's your body needing to stay in health?