Loving Tuesday's: Love Yourself

Love Love Love Loving Tuesday's!! ♥

This week I'm focusing on self love.  YOU are beautiful, creative, loving and worthy!! Self Love is sooooo important; if you don't love yourself, you will not be able to have an healthy loving relationship with anyone else.  So take some time out this week to write yourself a love letter, shout out "I love you" to yourself on the street, and kiss yourself in the mirror. ♥ 

taking myself out to dinner, reading an enchanting book, brushing my hair, I am worthy, dancing it out to Kate Bush in the living room, creative, goddess, feeding my body delicious vegan food, getting down with myself to Janet Jackson's If, buying myself flowers, bouncing on the rebounder, smiling every time I look in the mirror, I am forgiveness, curling up with stuffed animals, dressing to the nines in Naughty Monkey heels, writing, meditation, superfood smoothies, daily energy routine, Om Namah Shivaya

blowing myself kisses in the mirror, green smoothies, I am Grateful, skin brushing, journaling, I am good enough, warm cozy bath with epsom salts and essential oils, wearing skirts, EFT, buying sexy underwear for my eyes only, communing with my Spirit Guides, loving my size 4 body, going to the movies alone, dark chocolately goodness, affirmations, I love myself and I am balanced, poetry, laughter, yoga, massaging coconut oil into my legs, singing in the car, playing in the sunshine, R-E-S-P-E-C-T, vision book, I am compassionate, spirituality, traveling the world in my mind, chatting with my ~ing, Madonna showing us the ultimate in self love , going to the library, doggie walking, running barefoot in the grass, standing naked in the mirror and telling each body part, muscle, organ and cell "i love you", writing myself a love letter, colonics, talking to my tumors, reading Rilke, dressing up for a night out at the symphony with myself, shopping, knitting, painting my fingernails purple, post compliments you receive on your mirror to look at every morning, create love lists like this!

"I don't like myself, I'm crazy about myself" Mae West

"To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance" Oscar Wilde

"I think that when we look for love courageously, it reveals itself, and we wind up attracting even more love.  But if we're alone, we become even more alone.  Life is strange." Paulo Coelho

"Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self neglecting." William Shakespeare

"I celebrate myself and sing myself." Walt Whitman

"The greatest magnifying glasses in the world are a man's own eyes when they look upon his own person." Alexander Pope

"For what is love itself, for the one we love best?--an infolding of inmeasurable cares which yet are better than any joys outside our love." George Eliot

What's on your Love List?

So You Want to Eat Healthy and Feel Better....

I get a lot of questions such as "What do you eat everyday", "How can I transition into a more vegetarian diet", "I'm already a vegetarian, but I'm thinking of going raw, what would you recommend" or "I don't feel good eating the way I currently do, what can I do to improve how I feel" etc etc.  In honor of Meatless Mondays I decided to create a weekly blog series where I take you step by step from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to a Raw Vegan diet.  Some of you will already be aware of some of the items I mention in the earlier blogs and some many not feel like they want to "go all the way".  Do what feels comfortable.  Unless you have a "terminal" dis-ease, baby steps often lead to more successful change than attempting to dive into something major all at once.  Try it all, pick a few things, whatever suits you.  Just take the time to measure how each new transition makes you feel. 

Here's a great local article regarding Meatless Mondays in Kansas



Getting Started

1. Cut out carbs, bread, pasta, pastries, etc. for a week.  Take a deep breath, don't freak out now, I know I'm asking a lot. Fact: 1 in 133 Americans have Celiac's Disease according to the Foundation of Celiac's Awareness. Now, the real problem is that as a civilization, MOST people have developed an intolerance to gluten products.  We overeat them, in mass. Donuts for breakfast, pasta salad with bread for lunch, Spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner.  Sound familiar.  Cutting out carbs for a week will give you a chance to feel if you may have an issue.  This doesn't mean you will have to say goodbye to carbs permanently (unless you do have an issue such as celiac's) however cutting back is key.  After a week without carbs, take some time to notice, do you have more energy? Also, after that week, when you eat that first piece of bread, or make macaroni and cheese, how do you feel?  Sluggish? Than carbs may not be for you.  I found that I felt horrible eating all that pasta, bread, cookies, etc. but didn't even realize it until I cut it out and attempted to add it back in again.  Now, I eat pasta maybe a once a month, although I usually go for the gluten free variety if I'm making it at home, I usually only have bread if it's served when I'm out, and try for sprouted grain varieties at home.  I notice that I really don't feel too bad when I eat some carbs here and again now, and the alternatives can be quite tasty.  If you don't notice a difference, dont' worry about it, but keep in mind that carbs can also be very fattening if you are watching your weight.

I would recommend doing this with meat, dairy, eggs, anything you feel could be causing a problem.  Take one thing out each week, and measure how you feel.  We will discuss dairy further later on.

2. Cut out the gunk aka Processed Foods.  Read the label, if you don't know what's in it, it's not good for you.  "In addition to the nearly six thousand chemicals and additives in our food, preserving processes have changed beyond recognition from the simple use of vinegar, salt, and sunshine. Many processed foods are stripped bare, rendering them of little or no nutritional value. Worse, foods are deliberately tampered with to create the desire for more. And the health effects of certain processing methods – such as the very controversial irradiation – are not yet known." Puristat Nuff said.

3. Cut out soda pop.  Obesity, bone density issues, blood sugar problems, caffeine addiction, this is only the beginning.  Put a nail in a can of soda pop and it will rust.  Think about what it is doing to your body.  There are some great alternatives out there, such as Blue Sky sodas, which are all natural.  The best choice would be to cut out soda pop all together, drink more water, coconut water, juice, tea, etc.  This one thing can make such a difference in your life.  I know people who eliminated soda pop who also eliminated headache problems, started having fewer cavities, and immediately lost weight.  If you are a soda pop addict, this would be a great place for you to start.  Statistically it takes 21 days to create or break a habit, so set your goal, get some great alternatives and get rid of soda pop!

Here's a delicious gluten free, meat free, processed junk and soda pop free recipe to inspire you to get started on a more healthy you this week!

Don't forget, your homework this week is:

1. Go Meatless on Monday's (if you are already a veggie, yay!)

2. Cut out carbs for a week (think rice, beans, quinoa, instead)

3. Eliminate processed foods. If you don't know what's in it, toss it!

4. Set a 21 day plan to cut out soda pop. Stock up on coconut water, tea, juice and drink lots of water over the next few weeks.

If you have anything in particular you would like tips on, please leave a note on the blog and I will make sure to cover it in an upcoming blog!

Forgiveness

"There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love." Bryant H. McGill

Forgiveness is one of the most important tools on your healing journey and also one of the most difficult.  As humans we tend to hold on to our anger, grip it tightly like a security blanket, preventing us from moving forward.  I've tackled forgiveness in the past.  I did a lot of work in the early part of my healing process forgiving the men who had assaulted and sexually harassed me.  Very difficult work, but I am no longer tied to them or those experiences.

"When you hold resentment towards another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel.  Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free." Catherine Ponder

Recently I have refocused on forgiveness.  There are some relationships in my life that are not as strong as I would like, and I have realized that forgiveness is a great way to release some of the tensions in those relationships, or perhaps release my need for them, if that is the case.  A great tool is to go through your phone list, Facebook friends, email contacts, etc. and write down the name of anyone that you might have a sore spot with.  You may love your best friend dearly, but have you truly forgiven her for ruining your favorite pair of shoes?  Have you forgiven your father for being a drunk throughout your elementary school years?  You may feel like you have "moved on" but until you actually forgive, you are still tied to that person or situation.  Somethings are very simple to heal, and by looking at the situation from a new perspective, and saying "I forgive and release you" while visualizing you and that person surrounded by healing while light, can be a great release.  Some things are not that simple, so I've included some tools on shifting the bigger issues in your life. 

First, I did EFT to release any blockages I might have towards forgiving.  This is a great video by Brad Yates that you can tap along to.



Next, I wrote a detailed letter to that person.  I stated, sometimes in very angry detail, everything that upset me about the situation, and then I found a place of gratitude.  I found something that I learned from that situation that I could write briefly about, than I ended with "I forgive you and I release you."  I took a moment to contemplate, than got out the matches, took the letter outside, and lit it up, releasing the ashes into the universe.

Meditate, Meditate, Meditate.  There are several great meditations out there.  Gabrielle Bernstein Forgiveness Meditation is the one I have been using recently.  You could also just put some ambient music on, and visualize yourself and the other person.  See yourselves very clearly.  Imagine a black cord connecting you two, this is the issue that connects you.  See white shimmering light emanating from your heart to that person's, channeling white healing loving light between the two of you.  Then see Archangel Michael, with his powerful sword, cut through the black cord connecting the two of you.  Then mentally say "I forgive and release you."  This is a simple meditation that can heal so many wounds. 



This process will really open you up and clear a lot of anger and resentment.  You should always start by forgiving yourself.  It's so important to be in an open and loving state with ourselves, and if we can't forgive and love ourselves, can we truly love and forgive others?  I would also follow up the meditation with a short gratitude exercise to bring the love back in. 

Forgiveness is a process, and like Feel~ings this is a daily examination of self, and as you shift more and more towards a state of love and gratitude, this process will become easier and start to feel good.

If you have some time, check out this lecture Gabrielle Bernstein gave recently on Forgiveness ♥




medium from gabriellebernstein on Vimeo.



By the way, after doing ONE forgiveness session this week, my Mother commented that she thought the tumor in my neck had shrunk.  How powerful is that? ☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺

Gratitude Fridays: Honoring Those Who Serve Our Communities

Experiencing gratitude is an awakening to the true expression of Spirit.  This planet, Universe, we created is lovely, filled with hope, joy, courage, passion, and beauty.  Most days we focus on the lack, the pain, hate, fear, ugliness, and in doing so bring down the vibrations of ourselves, our friends, co-workers and planet.  Every Friday I will be celebrating those things I am truly grateful for, and giving you tips on expressing and feeling grateful.  I encourage you to start coming up with at least 5 things daily to be grateful for.  Start a journal and write down your gratitude's daily.  Need some inspiration?  Check out World Gratitude for 42 days of inspirational ways to experience Gratitude.

Farmers enrich our community, provide us with nourishing foods, labor during the hottest times of the year, get up before dawn to bring us their delicious offerings to the Farmer's Market, and they do it with joy, gratitude and passion.  I am GRATEFUL to all the Farmer's in my community and the invaluable service they provide.

I am GRATEFUL for the Plumber's who installed my new trenchless sewer system, the air-conditioner repair man who came out on the weekend, the garage door repair man who was there the next day, the electricians, carpenters, roofers and all other service professionals that give up their evenings, weekends, holidays and family time to ensure we live in comfort.

To all the Soldiers out there, thank you for protecting my rights, ensuring peace in the world, and risking your lives daily.  I am GRATEFUL for the long months away from home, missed birthdays and holidays, bullet wounds, and hot steamy nights.  You are all hero's in my heart.

I am GRATEFUL to all the men and women who have dedicated months of their lives to cleaning our oceans, healing injured animals and stopping the continuous flow of oil into our ocean.  You are true leaders and visionaries; I am proud of you.

Thank you for each child molester you take off the streets, for capturing the Waldo Rapist, for protecting children in foster homes, educating children through D.A.R.E. and ensuring my safety.  I am GRATEFUL for each night you risk your life on the streets, every moment away from your family, every evil you protect my community from.  Your courage is astounding.

I AM GRATEFUL:

President Obama, firefighters, paramedics, cable repair personnel, city light worker, sewer system operator, water department employee, garbage wo(man), recycle center employee, nurse, doctor, teacher, social worker, park ranger, CIA/FBI agent, construction worker, public works employee, beekeeper, honorable politician, postal worker, UPS/FED EX driver, bus driver, phone company employee, librarian, mentor, pilot, flight attendant, volunteer

WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?

Prayer for the Gulf of Mexico

Loving Tuesdays: Entertain Me

I so enjoyed creating my first Love List I decided to create a new one each week!

80's Movies

Cat Power (Love and Communication...greatest song eva!)

Beautiful Blogs

Gala Darling

Nourish Thyself

Beauty in Everything

A Thank You Note a Day

Read All Day

Zen Habits

Kick Ass Rocker Chicks

                                                      

White Collar on USA Network

Matt Bomer is a sexy, sexy man ;)

All Things Alice in Wonderland

What's on YOUR Love List?

No TV for 30 Days Challenge

Recently Crazy Sexy Cancer chic Kris Carr release a challenge based on a blog by Skinny Bitch Diva Rory Freeman Giving Up TV . While this may seem daunting to most people, I'd like you to take a moment and do a couple of things for yourself.

1. Add up all the hours you watch TV each week.  How many TV shows do you watch?  Do you watch the commercials?  News?  Random flipping?  Have a number yet? Good.

2. Take that number and divide by seven.  This will give you an average daily viewing time.

3. Now ad up how many hours you sleep, work and eat. Subtract this number from 24 and you'll get the number of hours on average you have each day to exercise, attend your kid's activities, socialize, read, enjoy a hobby, have some "me" time, etc.  Then take that "free time" number and subtract your daily TV viewage. Think about it, is this number "big enough" to fit all of the things you want to accomplish?  Do you feel like you "never have enough time" to do what you have to do?

4. First, things first, cut out the News.  This will create a HUGE opening for joy if you eliminate this one program.  The world will continue spinning, regardless of how many murders, rapes, wars and crisis are reported.  Mentally and emotionally, the News is draining, and shouldn't be a daily focus.  Also, reality shows are simply gossip mills.  Eliminate those life suckers.  Check out my blog post Peace, Love and Happiness for a refresher on how going on a Media diet and eliminating gossip can create Peace.

5. I want you to envision all the shows you watch, and recall how you feel during each broadcast.  Any of your scripted programs leave you feeling a little sick, frightened, angry, dirty, shameful, guilty, depressed, disgusted by the world? CUT THEM OUT!!!

6. What is your TV viewing number now?  Could you reduce it further?  Are there shows you watch out of habit, simply because you've watched all the seasons, but truly don't enjoy anymore?  Cut them. 

Look at all the free time you have now!! If you choose to continuing watching TV, focus on shows that inspire, make you laugh, are uplifting, bring you joy.  If you are interested in tackling the challenge, or maybe want to try cutting out TV for a day or a week, just to start, follow it on twitter #notvfor30days. 

Now, what to do with all the extra time....

Knit, crochet, Yoga, read to kids in the cancer ward at the hospital, meditate, read a book, join Meetup, start a blog, adopt a pet, Soduku, jigsaw puzzles, plant a garden, visit a museum, go to the park, attend the ballet, exercise, go camping, dance in your living room, take Tango lessons, learn something new, draw a self portrait, meet your Spirit Guides, journal, listen to podcasts, send letters to friends, become a Soldier penpal, volunteer at an orphanage, clean out the basement, learn Reiki, attend a spiritual service, create your own Vision Board, go to the Symphony, play with a child, visit your parents, write a poem, learn an instrument

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT!!