Let Your Life Bloom

Top 10 fun & free

Fun is an essential part of staying healthy. I think of it as an attitude and an activity. When I was a kid I loved to make lists. I made lists of lists. My focus nowadays is more on the "To Do" list than anything else. Same with you?

Your new coaching assignment is to make a Top 10 list for all the fun & free activities you can do. Share with friends. Pick one & go have fun!

My Top 10 fun & free list
1) Go to a dog park. Watch the canines play & their owners run after them. Quite entertaining.

2) Sit outside a theatre or fancy place like an opera house and admire the eloquently dressed folks. It's like attending a fashion show. Works well during prom time too.

3) Swing & play in a park playground. What looked huge when you were younger now seems pint sized in comparison. Fun at night. Ideally, only when no kids are around or bring a kid, then you have a good excuse to play!

4) Go to Whole Foods or your favorite deli and sample their current dishes.

5) Renting videos at the library exposes you to old classics you might never see at the video store or on Netflix.

6) Have a spa day at your house. Put sliced cucumbers on your eyes. Spread avocado on your face. Make your own salt scrub and exfoliate away.

7) Collage. Pick up last months magazines at a nail salon (they'll give them if you ask). Choose your favorite pictures and create an art project.

8) Challenge your friends to a dance off. Give creative prizes to each person (strangest move, fastest dancer, etc.)

9) Picnic at night in front of your house. Or you could find a lovely spot in the city or country and have the picnic in your car.

10) Window shop. Mentally decorate your dream house. Glam yourself up with the dress in the display window. Walk through the isles of a kitchen store and envision that raucous and enjoyable dinner party you will throw.

What are your Top 10 fun & free? Share a few here...

Creating an authentic online presence

Earlier this week I made a page on my growing passion for social media and how to create an authentic online presence. I figure since today is the Talk to Me Thursdays theme, it would be perfect to share as a post too. Here it is, enjoy!

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Welcome! I'm glad you stopped by. Having been a big fan of social media, and of course, coaching I was thrilled to lead a class on the combination of those two at John F. Kennedy University. What a full circle moment to teach at the school where I got my graduate degree from!

For years, I've been a life coach, holistic health educator, and intuitive. Because of my hands on experience using social media to share what I'm passionate about and grow my business, I am now quickly turning into a social media consultant.

My interest and specialty is working with wellness practitioners, helping them get clear on their message, translate it into the online world, reach their target audience, and have a widespread positive impact. If this sounds like you, contact me for a free mini session and see how we can start working together. The world is waiting to hear your voice.

What you'll find below is the presentation used for the 10 hour class. Enjoy and connect with me online!

Creating an Authentic Online Presence

View more documents from Vanessa Smith.

(A quick heads up - When you click play, the audio will start, introducing the presentation. If you press the arrow to go the next slide before the audio is over, the audio will stop).

Coming soon:
www.CoachVanessa.com - The hub for what I offer.

www.BloomtimeConsulting.com - Social media for wellness practitioners, get clear and share your message.

You can find out more and visit me here:
Let Your Life Bloom
Blogging 5 days a week about holistic health, life coaching, intuition, and more.

Integrative Wellness Works
My coaching website with the 7 Basics of Health, Get Clear classes, Turning a New Leaf program, and the free Let Your Life Bloom teleseries.

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Savor the Success
Self Growth

Healing your life with Louise Hay

Years ago, the homeopath I was working with introduced me to to Louise Hay's book  You Can Heal Your Life. When I was first exposed to her work, I was definitely resistant. It didn't make sense to me to say affirmations that didn't feel true. It wasn't until I read more of her philosophy that I realized what she said was right - we are affirming our experience all the time, whether we're talking about it "negatively" or "positively."

Given that I'm such a huge advocate of health, I was also fascinated with the language, body, and health connection. Every time, without fail, the health imbalances pointed out in her book matched exactly the issues that I or my clients were facing. When I practiced the affirmations, I noticed an immediate difference in my overall health and the specific health challenge I had.

Here are some of my favorite health affirmations from her I Can Do It book:

"I enjoy the foods that are best for my body. I love every cell of my body."

"I look forward to a healthy old age because I take loving care of my body now."

"Healing happens! I get my mind out of the way and allow the intelligence of my body to do its healing work naturally."

"I trust my intuition. I am willing to listen to that still, small voice within."

"I devote a portion of my time to helping others. It is good for my own health."

"I breathe deeply and fully. I take in the breath of life, and I am nourished."

I make healthy choices. I have respect for myself."

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If you haven't seen the movie version of You Can Heal Your Life, do so! Also check out the upcoming daylong conference with Louise, Cheryl Richardson, Bruce Lipton PhD, Caroline Myss, and Gregg Braden in September.

Cool down with herbs

I don't know where you are in the world, but where I am it's H-O-T! Half the day was spent feeling like my brain had melted, only to be restored by ice and a fan. My appetite has diminished and I'm craving cooling foods.

Last summer I wrote about what foods you can eat to cool down. This year I want to share some cooling herbs with you. Most of us know that mint is on the top of the list. Just thinking about it cools me down (great post about mint can be found here).

Here are a few other herbs that have similar cooling properties:

Dandelion - Both a common "weed" and the base for a gourmet salad. Dandelion leaves are very cooling as well as detoxing, helping the liver and improving digestion. It is also antiviral, helps with PMS, and lowers your blood sugar. For an old fashioned dandelion wine and salad, click here.

Borage - This was a new discovery for me. I'm used to seeing Borage oil advertised as a needed EFA (Essential Fatty Acid in the form of Gamma- Linoleic Acid aka Omegas). I didn't know it could be used as a straight up food too. You can add the blossoms to salad, use the leaves instead of grape leaves to make dolmas, or add to pasta sauces. Borage cools a fever, is an antidepressant, and supports the heart in addition to being a cooling food. Really interesting info on borage here and some recipes here. 

Cilantro - Definitely cooling and great in a salsa. Cilantro helps with digestion, nausea, mental stress, headaches, UTI's (urinary tract infections) and quenches your thirst. Coriander is the seed of cilantro and is often used in Indian dishes. If you're like me and your cilantro has gone slimy before its time, these tips will help keep it fresh. Lots of cilantro recipes here.

One last point I have to make here - I think it's so awesome that we have access to information. Anything we want to know about, we can look it up and it even comes with pictures and video! I love the internet!

What are your favorite cooling herbs? Do tell...

Festival dancing

As you might know, part of my weekend was spent at the Wanderlust Festival. Summer is a wonderful time to come out and play...and dance. Have you ever noticed the notorious festival dancers, the ones that dance with complete abandon? They don't care if they are in rhythm or keep a beat. They could also care less if anyone was watching them. It's more important that they just move their body is every which way possible.

Your wellness coaching assignment for this week is to let your inner festival dancer emerge, even if in your own living room. Throw your arms up. Do the funky chicken. C'mon shake shake it. Hey, you could even make your face dance. I wonder what a dancing face would look like?!

Take mini breaks through out the day to rejuvenate yourself through festival dancing (can be accomplished in a bathroom stall at work). All you need is a song in your head and the desire to move. You'll feel much freer afterward, guaranteed!

Off to dance... ♫ ♫ ♫

Time to dance and be happy

I've always been a concert goer. I love the vibe of the crowds and how much the musician is enjoying performing. Lionel Richie. Wham! Prince. New Edition. The Lilith Fair. Bridge School Benefit. The Wallflowers. Counting Crows. Tori Amos. Ani Difranco. Speech & Arrested Development. Andrew Bird. Soundgarden. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. Digable Planets.

This summer, I've been blessed to see Michael Franti & Spearhead twice. Once at Harmony Festival and...tomorrow! He's playing at the Wanderlust Festival. I've put one of my favorite songs of his below for you to enjoy and happily dance into your weekend. Awesome music and eye candy!

Loving social media

I've become more and more passionate about the power of social media, with its ability to give voice to those that haven't had one. To share a message and create a widespread positive impact. To empower organizations to gain new followings.

For me, part of health is how and what we communicate about, where our passions lie. This is unique to each one of us, and social media is a strong platform to spread the word. All of my interests in health, sustainability, healing, wisdom traditions, movement and dance, nature, food, fun, and more have broadened through this medium. I feel infinitely grateful that I get to participate in this. I know, without a doubt, that when we share our passions with others, we set the stage for healing, get clarity, and live our potential.

Tonight, I'll be talking about this and more with @GreenSmith, @BrendaHorton, and @MachenMacDonald at @BriarPatchCoop. Join us if you're local and weigh in on the conversation of what social media means to you. Hashtag is #NCTweetUp

Comment on the ways you love social media...

The treasure chest

Today happens to be the birthday of 3 people that I know. One of them is my friend Morgan, who I've been stumped on what to get. Birthdays have always been a big deal to me.  I like to do something different, creative. Something that will be remembered. One of the best way I've found to come up with ideas for this is by using my intuition. It always comes through, sometimes with the unexpected...

As you know, intuition speaks to us through recurring thoughts, images, synchronicity, and dreams. Whenever I thought about Morgan, I'd get a picture of a treasure chest. So, I went down to the arts and crafts store to buy a treasure chest. Then I used my intuition to guide me to the right items to put in it. Some of the items are quite odd. But I've learned that when intuition speaks, I listen and follow.

Morgan's birthday treasure chest includes:

Acrylic gems at the bottom (the jewels)

Reed's Ginger chews 

Chocolate coconut bar

Self-Care cards

Wood heart

Small silver angel

Fish magnet

Roll of toilet paper

Small toy horse

Journal with red orchid on it

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I'm going to collage it, paint it, glitter it, and sticker it. The princess in me tends to come out when I make art. Random, I know. She'll remember it though. Isn't that what life is about, having something unique to reflect back on? That's what I'm going to tell her when she picks up that roll of toilet paper with a confused look on her face.

Make a treasure chest for yourself! What would you put in it?

How (not) to eat blueberries

Yesterday, while having a relaxing moment on the couch, I heard a loud rustling sound. I look over and see that my cat Stella has her head caught in a paper bag. She had stuck her head into a lunch sized bag, and when she tried to back out of it, she couldn't get her head out. This bag was filled with blueberries. So, as she shook her head back and forth, she pummeled her face with blueberries. It was quite a site, alright. I jumped up and saved her from the fruit attack. She proceeded to pounce on the bag and sit on it for the next 1/2 hour. She showed it who was boss! And that's how not to eat blueberries.

This is how to eat blueberries:

Gluten-free Summer Blueberry Crisp

Seared Polenta with Chunky Blueberry Sauce

Rainbow Superfood Salad with Wild Blueberries & Balsamic

Loving ALL of your body

When you think about your body, what recurring thoughts come to mind? Are they neutral or negative? Appreciative or loving? We have a unique relationship with our bodies. Whether you like yours or not, whether you think it's working well or not, the truth is - your body is miraculous! Truly.

Every moment of every day, multiple systems within us, are moving in precise ways to support us and restore health. I often hear people speak of how their body isn't working the way they want. It's too tight or sore or ugly or stinky or...name your unpleasant adjective. There is truth to this, after spending a day in the sun you may not smell like roses. It's when we focus on the negative as if it's the whole truth that we lose reverence and respect for the very vehicle that supports our existence.

Which mentality sounds most like yours?

"It's falling apart."
Obsessing over the different areas that don't "work," the knee is bad, the back is out, etc etc etc on and on toot toot, the complain train. You act and talk as if your body is separate than you, and out to undermine the good things you want to experience in it. Temporary amnesia abounds. You forgot that you have the power to make a new choice, one that creates health in feeling, thought, and action.

"I appreciate it, but this ____ needs to change."
Ok, so you know that having a body is cool. You are glad for it and can appreciate that it supports you. BUT, yes, a capital but, if only that cellulite were off the back of your thighs, or your face wasn't splotchy, or only good smells could emanate from you, or your belly was thinner, etc etc etc on and on, everything's is great except this list of what's not.

"I love it all"
Sure, you have preferences over how you'd like your body to be. That's why you consciously choose to do what's within your power to shift it in that direction - all the while, loving yourself and celebrating the small changes. And for those other things about yourself that you can't change, the ones that came with the package you were born into, you know that it's part of what makes you who you are. And for that very reason, you feel even more special.

What's one new thing you could do to help you love ALL of your body?