Let Your Life Bloom

Explore and enjoy!

Hello subscribers, guests, and new visitors to the Let Your Life Bloom blog...

I am currently on an adventure/sabbatical also known as pregnancy/new mamahood. My first baby is due on the most magical date of 11-11-11 (yes, 4 days from today!). I'll be back sometime in 2012, with lots of new stories, resources, and inspiration to share. Plus I'm working on some behind the scenes projects, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, peruse this blog or any of my other ones (listed below), and you'll find lots of goodies.

Coach Vanessa

Intuitive Foodie

Get Clear Series

My Life Is Blooming

Storytelling Medicine

Integrative Wellness Works

 

Want to send well wishes? You can do so by using the Contact form, tweeting me, or dropping a note on my Facebook page.

Here's to a fabulous new year for all of us!

What to do with good advice

You think I'm going to say "Take it," right? Or at the very least, consider it, and choose to do what feels right for you. Not today. Today, I say, turn the other cheek. Forget about it. Throw a tantrum. Flip it the bird. Stick your tongue out at it. Not at the person, mind you, but at the suggestion of doing what should be done.

There's lots of good advice out there. Everyone has an opinion or a specific perspective based on their experience, education, training. I'm full of it myself. But you know what, when I'm upset, the last thing I want to consider is what I know I should do. At that point, my focus is on trying to breathe through the ugly cry. The sobbing, whimpering, snotty, puffy face, body shaking ugly cry.

When's the last time you had the ugly cry?

Mine happened to be this morning. No self-help book was going to save my butt. No trick in my toolbox. No well-meaning advice from someone else who is or is not going through the same thing. My feelings were irrational, illogical, and ignored all evidence pointing to things going well. My cry came from getting real with myself. To admit my fears, as silly as they may seem to someone else. To whine about my impatience and frustration with how long the process of change seems to be. To dramatically question - will it ever come together?

This wasn't a low moment for me. It was one of my highest. Because I allowed myself to feel, to be real, to see the whole truth, and acknowlege what was under the surface trying to get my attention. Being that vulnerable takes practice. At least for me. Maybe for you too.

See, we've all got a lot going on, to varying degrees, underneath the surface of our daily living. Hopes, dreams, fears, old feelings we haven't addressed, habitual reactions, family and cultural programming. We are taught to suck it up, stuff it down, move through it, push, pull, contract, resist.

It's utterly, completely stressful and draining to pretend "It's all good," when you're really thinking, "This sucks, and I'm scared." We think that by admitting the whole truth to ourselves, we're going to sabotage our process. The opposite is true. It's one of the most liberating things you can do.

By admitting and owning up to how we really feel, what we're really thinking, how we're really doing, is such a huge, gigantic relief. Know what happens when you do otherwise? One or more of these things:

You get sick. Your body can only hold so much of your stress before it becomes severly out of balance. Often, we don't start paying attention until we have to.

You stop enjoying life. If all your energy is tied up in suppressing or pretending, you have less presence available to actually experience the good stuff. You literally can't see past your pain.

You complain, mindlessly, and incessantly. Have you ever known one of those folks or been one yourself? It's the same story over and over. They think they're being "real" because they're admitting their frustration. But the truth is, they're staying on the surface, not copping to their vulnerability or responsibility in what they're experiencing.

I say own it. Own it all.

Then use it - to free yourself, to foster compassion rather than advice for another, to pay it forward by being available to just listen when someone allows themselves to be that vulnerable in your presence. Use it by choosing to shift it instead of repeat it, if and when those fears surface again.

Make it good for something. That was my wish through my crumpled up kleenex. I said to myself, "I better get a good blog post out of these tears. My ugly cry is not in vain!"

So, go forth, and ugly cry away. You'll feel cleaner and clearer after admitting what's real for you. And much more open to any advice that comes your way!

Feeling wound up?

Have you ever been in a tight spot, unsure of how to get out of it, and twisted up because of it? In that moment, how open were you to a friends advice? To coming up with solutions? To relaxing? If you're anything like me, or lots of others I know, or say, human, you might notice that being open isn't your strong suit in times of trouble.

Why?

Because being wound up is where it's at! Party time! Now we're getting somewhere!

That wasn't the answer a coach is supposed to give you, right?! Well, it's what you really wanted to hear, and it's the truth, so I might as well tell you, somebody has to!

Whenever we feel stuck, we get into this funny illusion that someone, something, or spirit is going to save us. Yet, it's the exact opposite of what we truly want. We don't want to be saved. We want to transcend our challenges on our own. We want to feel self-sufficient, empowered, and resilient. We want to know that we can rely on ourselves in any circumstance. It's a big part of why we create "problems" in the first place (read How to solve your problems - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).

 

Benefits to being wound up:

It serves as a distraction. When you're wound up, you're on autopilot, habitually reacting to the drama in front of you. We all have different ways of resisting, blowing things out of proportion, blaming, explaining, denying. The list goes on. In fact, we can get quite creative with the whole thing. We have many well developed techniques to distract us from taking responsibility for our lives. And there are some folks that spend their whole lives in distraction, moving from drama to drama, not even realizing this way of being is serving them.

How would distraction be a benefit? It keeps you comfortable in your known world of dysfunction, validating a low sense of self-worth. Because here's the deal, when you decide to take responsibility for your life, you realize you are at the seat of creation for all you experience. That kind of freedom scares the crap out of folks. It's too open, possible,  limitless. We crave structure and freedom. It's up to us how we want to create that - through the distraction of drama or the responsbility of creation. Most of us are doing a bit of both.

 

It breeds clarity. Piece by piece, you find peace. Letting yourself be where you are, even if that place is "wound up," gives you more room to breathe. You're no longer pretending everything is OK when, for you, in that moment, it's not. Then, the funniest thing happens, when you can admit to yourself you are struggling and wound up, you start to relax. There's much power in being real and honest with yourself. It's downright liberating.

When you allow yourself to be where you are, you can start to see the whole picture, beyond the circumstances that "made you" feel wound up in the first place. Within that whole picture that you now have access to, are the very things you long for in every situation - an opportunity to simplify, get clear on what's really important, and choose wisely in a way that represents who you truly are.

 

It helps you become aware of and feel your feelings. Underneath being wound up is also hope, anger, sadness, faith, guilt, love, and a whole mixture of feelings. We are so trained to push through our pain and subsequently, ignore our emotions. It takes feeling wound up about something to really get our attention. Now, if you can learn how to address your feelings as they arise instead of creating wound up situations, I personally think that would be the easier approach. But, I'm a work in progress in this department too!

I don't want to walk away from this post without emphasizing this point:

Every single area of your life where you feel wound up is intricately linked with your health and sense of personal power. Money. Relationships. Work. Family. Housing. Your feelings are the direct link to and through your suffering. The best, most empowering, healthiest, transformational thing you can do for yourself and those around you is to find support to address your feelings. We are not taught how to do this in a healthy way in our culture. Instead, we see the shadow side of what happens when we suppress our feelings. It's time to bring light and change to this. Not by acting on the "wound up" but by appropriately feeling it and thus, releasing it so it no longer runs us.

 

Next time you feel wound up, even if that moment is now, do this:

★ Admit it.

★ Tell yourself it's ok to feel wound up.

★ Let yourself know that you can stay wound up as long as you want. There's no pressure to change or be different. 

★ Breathe. Stretch. Relax into feeling wound up. (Yes, this is a paradoxical statement, but it actually works if you allow yourself to be where you are without resistance or trying to change it to something else).

★ And when you're ready, now or 30 years into the future, cop to the fact that being wound up is choice you made - to help you feel your feelings, get clear, and, ultimately find empowerment through responsibility rather than distraction and drama.

How to solve your problems (part 3)

And now for the final, most obvious, step in solving your problems:

Action!

This is step 4 in the process, often misused as step 1. Yes, action is great. You do have to/can choose to/get to play your part in turning your life in a new direction. If you're not satisfied with the current outcomes of what you're experiencing, looking at your behavior (action) is one of the most pertinent places to assess why that is.

Here's the deal though, you've got to determine where the action is coming from.

As in, what exactly is motivating you to act the way you do? What some don't get is, you will always get a match to the energy behind the action. That's why if you take action, but underneath the surface, you constantly feel struggle and like it's not enough, that's what you'll get - struggle and not enough - no matter how much progess is made. Things will continue to seem hard for you, even if you keep taking action to change those circumstances.

It isn't just about mindset.

That's part of it. It is important to focus on the outcome you want. When we're unhappy with how life is going, we often go to extremes in how we think about things. We either polarize in the negative and get consumed by how "bad" everything is, complain about it and feel drained. Or, we try to force ourselves to be positive, and only focus on the "good."

The truth is, solely focusing on the "good" or "bad" of what you're experiencing isn't helpful to you now or in getting you to where you want to be.

The energy that infuses action to help you skyrocket to the outcome you'd prefer, while enjoying the process is looking at the whole picture. The whole picture addresses what's underneath the surface. The whole picture gives you room to breathe. To change. To let your emotions inform you rather than rule you. The whole picture keeps things in context and helps you be an effective Soul-utionary. Not just coming up with solutions to your problems, but doing so in a way that's in alignment with your soul. Because life really isn't about solving problems, unless you make it out to be.

 

Ways to make taking action most effective for you:

Let yourself briefly go through the process of the first three steps outlined in the previous posts "How to solve your problems (Part 1)" and "How to solve your problems (Part 2)."

• Step 1: Acknowledge
• Step 2: Accept
• Step 3: Allow
• Then...Step 4: Action

Following these steps will add a new quality of -gasp- enjoyment to the process of change (aka "solving your problems"). When you let yourself change, the quality of your experience changes. And aren't we all a little over repeating the same set of "problems" in our lives?! The simplest but most foreign concept to some of us is "Hey, if what I'm doing isn't working, maybe I should try something else."

 

A few more tips to help spur effective action:

Consider the context - Nothing exists in a vacuum. We are born into families and cultures that have certain assumptions about the way the world works. Not right or wrong, just different. Most of the time we recreate these unconscious energetic imprints thinking that what we experience is based on "the way things are." Nope. What you experience is based on you, your energy, your choices, conscious or not. That's why it's essential to question our assumptions, expectations, and identity. It's important to use critical thinking, creative inquiry, and intuitive wisdom to identify and live our truths in the here and now, based on what's currently relevent to our own spirits. 

Consider the timeframe - You didn't create the problem overnight. Chances are there were many little choices that added up to what seems like one big problem. Believe me, I understand that you'd like to solve the issue ASAP, as in yesterday. And, at the same time, you'll get a lot further if you deal with what's in front of you right now. In this moment, take one small step toward resolution. You might be surprised at how quickly things start to change, and how much better you feel in the process.

Consider that you created the "problem" on purpose - Why in the world would you ever do that?! Well, we like challenges. To feel like we accomplished an unlikely hurdle. We like to win. To have stories to tell. To learn from our circumstances. To bond with other people based on shared problems. Plus, it gives us a chance to clear out any stuff that no longer works - ways of thinking, feeling, being, and acting in the world. It helps bring light to the dark parts of ourselves so we can heal. Having problems can also be addictive, an adrenaline rush. There's always a benefit and a cost, to everything. Do I think we can learn through joy and desire instead of problems and challenges? Sure. Set it up however it works for you. I think the point is to remember you have a choice here.

Consider it's not a problem - No, I'm not going to tell you that a problem is really an opportunity in disguise. While there's truth to the cliche, no one wants to hear that when they're struggling. It is what it is. You are where you are. The real truth is, it's more about your preferences than any particular problem. You either like what you're experiencing or you don't. That doesn't mean stay in a crap situation. It just means evaluate, drop the resistance, stop taking it personally, let go of the blame. Focusing on the problem never ever solves it. Ever. Let the contrast of what's going on breed desire, then put your energy into that. Walk through those 4 steps outlined above, and you're on your way to a whole new reality!

 

 

How to solve your problems (part 2)

Ok, we've covered steps 1 & 2 in how to solve your problems. Are you ready for step 3? I thought so! Here we go...

Step 3: Allow

Allow yourself to experience what you're experiencing. Sounds simple, right? In concept, definitely. In practice, not always. Why? There is a certain level of programming we pick up via our culture, community, and family upbringing that teaches us - consciously and unconsciously - to respond to life in a habitually resistant way.

It seems obvious, or at least logical, to resist what we don't like. The funny thing is we are just as good at blocking the incoming flow of all the "good stuff" too. We claim to have big dreams about love and romance, fulfilling work, financial abundance. Yet, when little hints and blessings show up at your door, or tap you on the shoulder, the first response is often to turn away from it. We convince ourselves it's not a match to what we really want. Because we are so trained to resist "what is" we only see the negative aspect of what shows up. Thus, creating a "problem" when it's really an opportunity.

Though resistance is tricky and takes many forms, here's a cheat sheet way of identifying it:

If you're in resistance to anything you'll feel like crap when you think about it.

Let me be clear, it's not the situation or circumstance good or bad that is causing you to feel low, it's your reaction (often habitual), your interpretation (of what you think it means), and your self judgment that make you feel like crap.

Nothing and no one, in and of itself, is inherently bad, wrong, or working against you. Some like to take this idea and twist it up into blame as if it's their fault for what's happening (as if that helps...it doesn't!). Here's the irony - it is and it isn't. Yes, you took part in creating what you're experiencing, but that is the liberation piece, to realize the power you have and then to use it wisely!

So, instead of playing the game of block, sabotage, resist, block, sabotage, resist, give it up and play the game of allow, let, open, receive. Repeat after me: Allow. Let. Open. Receive.

Like I said in Part 1 of this post, owning up to your part and taking responsbility for your choices, for your life is the most freeing thing you can do. Then, you are a slave to no one. Not your past. Not your future. Not your family. Not society. And certainly, no longer a slave or victim to your way of thinking, which is the most limiting aspect of any experience.

 

How do you allow?

By trusting.Trusting the timing of how, when, and if things turn out to your preference. Trusting there is a larger purpose at work (funny how we think we know it all, yeah right!), always guiding you to the best circumstance for you at any given moment in time.

By seeing things in context. Realize you are in partnership with life. You don't control everything, but you do have the power to responsibly direct and manage the flow of your energy and engagement with what's going on.

By creating. Imagine and focus on what it is you'd like to experience, see yourself graciously receiving it and most importantly embody the qualities (like kindness) and feelings (like relief, or gratitude) you'd like to experience as a result of having what you desire.

By relaxing. Yes, relax. How effective are you when you're all wound up? Plus, even if you were able to cross off all those to do's on your list while wound up, what do you think the outcome would be? I'll give you a hint. You always, always, always get a match of what's going on underneath the surface of what you're doing. That's how energy works. You may either (a) get what you want & still feel all crappy and wound up, or (b) don't get what you want & still feel all crappy and wound up. So, how about dropping the wound up bit, and get the match of relax? Personally, that's my preference.

I have many more thoughts on the topic of allowing. It is the basis of this website, my philosophy, and certainly my life practice (which I am much better at sometimes than others). "Let Your Life Bloom" is based on the understanding that life is blooming all the time. All the time. Our experience of whether that is so is purely dependent on the word "Let," meaning how much you allow yourself to experience the bloom.

Doesn't matter if the topic is health, work, romance, money, past, future, etc. All the good, support, and blessings are surrounding you always, in all ways, for all of us, no matter what the circumstances of our lives are. You think you would have set up a life of hardship for yourself without also calling in the appropriate support to help you along the way? Give your spirit more credit than that!

So, whether you are experiencing something "bad" or "good," if you allow yourself the room to let it be there, to not fight it, but to sit with it and realize it's not as scary and big as it appears. You then open the door to answers and knowing what right action to take. That's what we're after anyway, isn't it, to not feel stuck anymore?!

 

Where in your life would you like to experience more flow, openness, relaxation, trust?

In what ways are you willing to allow yourself this new experience of resolving your problems and truly letting your life bloom?

 

Stay tuned for Step 4...

 

How to solve your problems (part 1)

 

"No problem can be solved by the same level of consciousness that created it." Albert Einstein

 When you're dealing with a problem in your life, what's your first attempt to solve it?

As much as we all like to claim we want the answer, the "how to" fix what's wrong, most of the time our approach to resolving something does anything but bring us closer to the resolution.

Often, we:

✽ Complain about the problem to as many people who seem willing to listen or not.

✽ Wish it away, beg it to go away, swear it away, and other various creative forms of resistance.

✽ Repeat the same story - in our heads and to others - while creating a big buildup to the punchline (problem) as a way to justify why we're experiencing it in the first place.

✽ Get - and stay - anxious, depressed, angry, frustrated, annoyed, sad, listless, helpless, as if we are victims to it. (For the record, it's normal to feel a range of emotions, just choose to move on to different ones at some point).

✽ Admit it or not, hope someone else will save us from the mess we're in.

Do any of these sound familiar to you? How many have you done on this list above?

 

I'm here to offer another solution to your solution seeking ways. There are four main steps to resolving your problems. The cool thing about these steps is that not only do they work toward a solution, they also serve as prevention of future issues.

Think about it. Have you ever had the experience where you keep having the same "type" of problem? The same dynamic at work. The same argument with your spouse. The same feeling when you get around certain family members. The same "ceiling" on your income.

There are many reasons as to why this happens, all found in your energetic blueprint (see the Get Clear series), but for right now, let's focus on getting you some relief from those problems!

 

How to solve your problems

Step 1: Acknowledge

All the strategies listed above are valiant attempts at acknowledgment. So, kudos to you for trying to get there. Where people get stuck is, within the acknowledgment itself, there's the unconscious commitment to staying focused on what sucks about what you're experiencing.

Acknowledging where you're at is really about follow up.

For example, you might say "I'm having this issue at work and I can't stand it!" The follow up component that's missing is "I'm having this issue at work and I can't stand it! The truth is sometimes I feel really stuck around what to do, but I also know there's a way out, and I'm open to seeing that solution."

Note the underlined parts. Try it out yourself. Any problems stuck on repeat in your head? Follow up with your version of:

• Truth is...
• I feel...
• I also know there's a way out.
• I'm open to seeing that solution.

Acknowledgment!

 

Step 2: Accept

You'd be amazed if you really understood how much of your energy on a daily basis goes into resisting what you don't like in your life. On the flipside of every problem is an opportunity. It's a big part of why we keep experiencing the same type of problems over and over, we're trying to get ourselves to wake up and see more of the whole picture, to actually take advantage of the opportunity. The minute you accept where you are, you have much more room to see and access solutions.

Plus, acceptance breeds forgiveness. How long have you carried around stuffed and/or unresolved emotional junk related to whatever the "problem" is? Why not give yourself the gift of freedom from that? You'll feel much more spacious and more positively connected to what's possible for you in life.

Most of the time, we resist accepting our reality because we think it's an admittance to being weak. Quite the opposite is true. It takes strength and courage to accept our circumstances. You want to know why? Because our life is our responsibility. By not accepting what's going on, we are essentially refusing to take responsibility for the creation of what we're experiencing as well as take advantage of the blessed responsibility of being able to turn things around.

Acceptance means you have faith in your abilities. Acceptance means knowing you are not a victim. Acceptance means you are willing to stand up for your life and responibly direct the flow of your sacred energy in a way that is fulfilling for your soul. Acceptance means you are living your truth.

You are where you are. It is what it is. Take the next step in declaring your readiness to move on by accepting it. It is the road to resolution.

And as Byron Katie says, "When you argue with reality, you lose, but only 100% of the time."

✽ ✽ ✽

These first 2 steps will take you far and provide much needed relief from the spin of focusing on the problem. Stay tuned for the other 2 steps which will buoy you up and take you to a whole new experience of life. If you don't like the game, change the gameboard!

Too good to be true? Depends on you.

There is a sacredness and joy to everything we do. Do you feel it? When you wake up in the morning, do you have a sense of direction for your day? A feeling of groundedness and clarity with how you're looking at your life circumstances? A knowing and trust that your intuition will lead you to the right next step?

It all sounds good in theory, doesn't it?! We'd like to live like this, and we certainly believe it's possible in principle, but can it really be?

When the personal growth/self-help movement initially took off, I was intrigued, relieved, and skeptical. "Live your dream life," "Do what you love, the money will follow." Sound familiar to you? Could what these speakers, authors, and coaches claim to be true really be a reality for anybody? 

I wanted to believe, and was hopeful. I wanted to experience something different in just about every area of my life, and I certainly felt stumped on how to make that happen. Did they have the answers?

Early on, I remember having a conversation with a coach where I felt this underlying insinuation that if I didn't wake up with a huge grin on my face everyday, and spent my every moment in the rapture of bliss, then clearly, there was something wrong with what I was doing. I didn't need anyone to blatantly tell me or imply that if I wasn't happy all the time, something was flawed within me. It was enough to feel like that in my own head.

It wasn't until I went through some years of educational training as coach, gained experienced working with clients, and chose to change my own life, that I began to understand both what it meant to live a more fulfilling life and how to do that.

For anyone out there who has changed their life in some significant way, you know there is a process to it. You have to pay attention to what you think, feel, say, and do. If something is not working for you, you have the blessed responsibility of choosing otherwise, shifting gears so it all flows more smoothly.

Change, in essence, isn't actually that complicated. It's more about being willing to do what's necessary, in a way that suits your soul, and utilizes the best of the support you have around you. To guide someone through that process is a huge part of why I wanted to become a coach.

Yet, there's a fine line between personal growth and self-absorption.

Also, a fine line between choosing to see the positive aspects of a situation and being fake happy all the time.

In all my years of doing this work, here's a few gems I tap into whenever I feel stuck:

The longest and shortest distance is from your head to your heart. Change comes easiest when you combine the wisdom from both and use their connection to each other to inform your decisions.

Your intuition never, ever, ever fails you. Ever. Just because situations don't turn out how you want them to, doesn't mean your intuition didn't work. It means that there's many other factors and perspectives that shape your results. Your spirit knows best, and will always put you in the "right" circumstances as sucky as your ego might think those are.

Nothing beats simple kindness. We can be incredibly cruel to ourselves, judgmental of others, and pretty wound up about our lives. The quickest way to feel at peace again? Be kind. Do something kind for yourself or another. Accept a kindess shown to you. Kindness is one of the most generous, compassionate acts we can do as humans. All of us are capable of this.

Between the three of these gems, I have found that there is no such thing as too good to be true. Life is a glorious and grand adventure. It's also sometimes really hard and challenging. It depends more on where you're at perspective wise, not circumstance wise. How many times have you been in an idyllic setting or on vacation, yet felt ruled by negative thoughts? Or in a tough spot, but somehow you felt peace? Too good to be true is like anything else, it's based on us and how we see it.

What do you close yourself off to because you think it might be "too good to be true?"

And more importantly...

What would open up for you if you decided to embrace and allow the goodness that life has to offer, and is always offering up to you?

Going Grainless...revisited

Back in 2008, I chose to go grainless. Whether whole grain or cracker, tortilla or pasta, flour or bread, if it involved a grain, it was out of my diet. In my first post on the subject, I shared how grains were negatively affecting me physically, mentally, and emotionally. In the second post, I gave a few examples on what to eat in place of those absent grains. It's now been 3 years to the month, and I want to catch you up on my experience and what I've learned since originally making this change.

Here's the truth - I've experimented, even indulged a bit (for my standards), when it comes to grains.

See, our bodies change over time. What once affected you greatly, may not anymore. We need different nutrients during different stages of our lives. What remains the same is whole foods are best. It may be convenient to grab a box of food off the shelf. What's not so convenient is when your body tries to digest and absorb what nutrients are left in it after the processing it goes through.

What I learned:

I trust my body.

If I have a desire for something, and I (intuitively) check in to see if it's a legitimate craving - whether healthy or not - I will partake. We eat not just for nutrients, but for emotional nourishment, mental clarity, physical energy, and spiritual connection. Eating is one of the great gifts of life. Whenever you feel like you're cutting off choices in any area of your life, you'll end up feel deprived and like a victim. I'd rather have the taco, if that's what my body is calling for in the moment, and I sense it's ok for me to eat (meaning = it won't make me feel like crap after).

I am no longer 100% grain free. Maybe 90%. Some weeks 70%. It varies, as does life. Eating grains no longer affects me in the same way it once did. So, I'll have some brown rice occassionally with that stir fry. Or if a small piece of bread comes with the salad, I chew it well and enjoy every bite. Mostly though, I feel better, more energy, and clear when I minimize my intake of grains. Again, it's all about paying attention and seeing what works for you.

I'm grateful for what cutting out grains did do for me - I began to eat in a more balanced way with lots more fruits and veggies. I drank more water. I lost weight. I had more energy. I wanted to (and did) exercise more. Doesn't really matter where you start, once you change one aspect of your life, other pieces fall into place.

What I substituted for grains: 

Almond Flour - The most versatile, tasty way to create a wide variety of grain like meals. The Queen of Almond Flour as far as I'm concerned is Elana of Elana's Pantry. Her book, aptly named, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour cookbook, is the most used cookbook in my house. I went through a phase where I made all sorts of almond flour based sweet and savory dishes. I've since slowed down on my almond flour intake, especially after reading this article on how too many nuts and seeds can clog up your system and produce a wide range of symptoms (ones we wouldn't tend to associate with eating nuts).

Chickpea Flour - Not a grain but can be turned into a most savory flatbread or pancake. This is one of my favorites. In fact, I made some pancakes last night. For approximately $1 (yes, one dollar) I made about 35 of these babies. So easy! Mix the flour with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, fennel, cumin, and coriander. Whisk in the same amount of water as flour. Bake in the oven or fry in a pan. Tasty. Here's a couple of other recipes that look delish too: Chickpea Fries, Chickpea Pizza, and Farinata Genovese. I also enjoyed these articles (from The Perfect Pantry and Fun with Chickpea Flour) that gave more background and recipes for Chickpea Flour.

Buckwheat - Technically a fruit, it works like a grain and can be found in the form of noodles, flour, porridge, sprouted and used like granola. Here's the wiki definition, scroll down to the food section of the entry. My general go to for buckwheat is Kaia granola. I have used the noodles and do like them, though my pocketbook isn't as much of a fan (pricey!).

Kelp noodles - Made of seaweed, but most noodley in nature, these are a great addition to any soup or if you want to make a pasta salad. The brand I usually get is from Sea Tangle.

These have been my main substitutes for grains as they can be made into a number of different types of dishes. Some people love coconut flour too. You might also want to check out sprouted grain products and find that they are more easily digestible. Check out Ezekiel Food For Life and Alvarado St. products. Keep in mind that many gluten free products have tapioca and potato starch in them which may be an issue for some people (it is for me). Experiment and find out what's best for your body. I'm sure there are even more options out there. What have you found?

Then, I got tested for food intolerances.

Working with my Naturopath, and knowing that I have a sensitivity to foods, I decided to go ahead with a blood test that would determine my genetic intolerance to certain foods and food combinations. (If you don't know the distinction between food allergies and intolerances, please see my first article on Going Grainless which will provide links to info on this). The Carroll Food Test was incredibly helpful. Turns out, I'm not allergic to grains, I'm intolerant to potatoes!

A few years ago, I remember having a conversation with a chiropractor, telling him how grains affected me. He suggested that it wasn't a grain issue, but a potato one. He was a big proponent of the Weston A. Price diet as well as the GAPS diet (which is connected to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and has some interesting connections to diet and autism). I mentally bookmarked those resources and forgot about them until I took that blood test.

The test also informed me that I am intolerant to the combination of dairy and grains together. Think pizza, quesadillas, many baked goods, grilled cheese, etc. I had thought I was allergic to dairy and grains, and subsequently, cut them both out of my diet. Turns out, I'm not allergic to either, just intolerant of mixing them together. Oh, the things you learn when you take the time to find out!

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I hope this post has given you some food for thought. Lol. I can't help it, I'm a punny woman. Pay attention to and trust the wisdom of your body in regard to food. It will make all the difference in your quality and enjoyment of life. Cheers.

You 2.0

Can you upgrade your system just like you do with a computer? Is there a switch to flip where things make sense all of sudden? Is it possible for things to be so...simple?

Yes...and no.

Bringing a different level of presence and joy to your life can happen instantaneously. But most of us struggle with this. We long for it, yet doubt that it can be real or if we can keep it up consistently. 

What if you were able to expand your capacity to hold this level of light on a daily basis? Sound good? Read on.

Does the following describe you:

♥ You know something is going on - cosmically speaking - though you can't quite put your finger on what it is, and would like some understanding as to how you fit in to the whole scheme of things.

♥ You take care of yourself and would like to enhance what you're already doing so you actually feel like you're thriving, vibrant, and strong enough to be calm in the eye of any storm.

♥ You use your intuition, follow it a good portion of the time, but find it much harder to do so when faced with your fears. You want to make the connection easier.

♥ You feel like you have a calling, that there's a reason for you being here, and you're doing your best to walk toward that. Yet you keep bumping up against "old stuff," recycling "the same old air." You are looking for a way out, around, under, behind, or above this stuff. You believe it's possible.

♥ You know you play a role in all you experience. You are learning to shape, direct, and responsibly manage your energy. You are hungry to open up more to this.

♥ You are looking to integrate spirituality into your daily living where you can feel the partnership in a tangible way.

♥ You like having fun, joy is your preferred experience, and you'd like an extra helping of both please! Laughing and love are of utmost importance in your life!

 

Did you see yourself in the list above?

After writing the series for How to tune in to your spiritual channel, I was guided to call in those of you who are ready to level up, flip the switch, and upgrade the system. It's in the form of a *specific to you* program called You 2.0 that lasts from the moment you sign up to the end of the year 2011.

Here's some of what we'll do in You 2.0:

★ Meet your light family and spiritual support system, know their names and functions.

★ Become a masterful shapeshifter at redirecting the energy so quickly you'll forget you fell off center in the first place.

★ Learn how to pull the wisdom forth from parallel lives and multidimensional timelines.

★ Get channeled downloads - exactly right for you - that help you gain perspective on what's going on in your life.

★ Experience wholeness, relaxation, timelessness, and ease by being able to integrate the light and dark within you.

★ HAVE FUN!  (I would triple underline this if I could)

 

As you read through this post, you are most likely thinking one of three thoughts:

1) "Yes, this sounds awesome. Sign me up. I feel better just thinking about the possibility of this!"

Fantastic! The next step is to fill out the application below and email it to info@coachvanessa.com with the subject "Me 2.0" and I'll be in touch within 3 business days.

2) "Sounds interesting. I do want to feel better, be clear and healthy, but I think I need something more for beginners."

Lovely! I have two other options that are more foundational, good places to start. They are the Get Healthy program and the Get Clear series. Check them out.

3) "I have no idea what you're talking about. These are new, big words and I'm thinking this isn't my thing."

It's all good! Better to know what you are and aren't into so you can choose to invest your time accordingly. Go forth and find something else that floats your boat.

 

You 2.0 - Application

✿ What are you passionate about? What's your lightwork (as in your calling, what you feel compelled to share, what's in your blood to do)? Not sure yet? No problem. Just tell me what you like best about yourself and your life.

✿ What would you like to change about your life? What have you done so far to change it?

✿ What draws you to want to do You 2.0? What are your expectations, in what ways do you expect your life to be different as a result?

✿ What would you like to see happen in the world? What issues are you passionate about?

✿ Share 1 experience where you followed your intuition and 1 experience when you didn't.

✿ Give me a snapshot of a typical day for you, include what you eat.

✿ If you'd like to be considered for the donation, trade, or FREE spots (see below), tell me why. What would you donate or trade for it? Be creative!

 

Details to know

* You 2.0 is $1000 for the entire year until the end of 2011 of 1 on 1 sessions with me and your spiritual family. This is a lot less than what it would normally cost to do this good work for an extended period of time.

There are lots of additional benefits and blessed responsibilities to being part of this which is why there is an application process. Please do not make any payments until you hear from me that you are confirmed for this program.

There are 2 spots open for donation and/or trade. There is 1 spot is open for FREE.

Again, email info@coachvanessa.com with your answers to the application and the subject "Me 2.0," and I look forward to hearing from you!

Tune in to your spiritual channel (Part 6)

Are you writing down volumes yet? Getting clearer guidance? I hope so!

We live in a time when information is coming at us from all directions. Finding your truth is essential if you want a life filled with more peace, ease, and joy. That's what your spiritual channel is designed to help you do. Plus, it's especially great to tap into when you're in a pickle.

While your intuition is like eating your favorite ice cream, tuning in to your spiritual channel is equivalent to a double decker triple flavor banana split. Why? Because you are accessing a whole support team! Your intuition + your soul, your light family, ancestors, earth wisdom, spirit guides, angels, and a variety of other helpers with your best interest at heart.

To sum up this series, this is what your spiritual channel can give you:

• Tips on how to let go of the past and experience peace of mind
• Guidance on how to integrate what you've learned into your life
• Clarity on the future, your specific calling/path/purpose, including what small action steps to take
• Help with decision making about anything or anyone, any situation you can think of
• Bigger picture perspective and consideration of other truths, thus helping you feel less "stuck" in current circumstances
• Literally, what direction to turn in, what to eat, how to thrive, and various other miracle making ideas that will help you delightfully surprise yourself
• A deep sense of reverence and connection to humanity, earth, spirit world, all those who came before and all who will come after you

Sounds good, yes? Yes!

I've found that tuning in to my spiritual channel has been invaluable. Especially as I was going about changing my life and moving in a new direction. It's like strength training for the soul. It makes you realize that there is this undercurrent of synchronicity running through your life. All of a sudden, you find that you exist on multiple gameboards, which is uber helpful to remember when you feel like you keep losing at the one you've been playing on.

I have countless examples of how tuning in to my spiritual channel has helped my life. Here's just a few:

When my husband was wanting a career change, he had no (conscious) idea what he would do instead. There was no obvious, "I have a passion for ______, and I'm going to follow that now." I kept getting the hit that a big clue to what was next for him would be found in Utne magazine and had to do with the colors on the wall of the restaurant we were at while having this conversation, green and orange.

It was up to him whether he decided to believe my "hit" and take action on it.

He did. Soon after, he found Utne magazine, flipped through it, and saw an ad in primarily green and orange colors, for Presidio Graduate School. He went to an introduction night for the school and loved it. And get this, before he went in, he said to me jokingly "Ok, if they serve cookies, I'm in." They served cookies. We laughed that he's more psychic than I am.

He has gone from being a Massage Therapist to a highly regarded sustainable business consultant with a niche in social media marketing green products via his well built blog network along with ghostwriting. He even had clients before he got a website up! He did the work, but tuning in to the spiritual channel helped light the way to initially making the switch.

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Then there was the time that I was looking for a place to live, in a new state, on a limited amount of time, and the traditional ways of searching were not producing the results I wanted. The whole story can be found here. Talk about an intuitive roadmap!

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I'm sure you have many examples in your own life - how you've used your intuition, tapped in to your spiritual channel, followed a synchronicity, felt the sense of an invisible roadmap guiding you. It's my hope that the Tune In series will help to increase your experience of seeing how much spiritual support you have, and then utilizing it so your life will bloom!