Do ONE Thing that Scares You

While I’m in Washington D.C. giving two Energy Leadership workshops, I’ve asked a few fabulous bloggers to step in. Today’s post is by Elisa Haggarty Think about all the things that trigger fear in you. For some, it might be heights, trying tofu, being around big dogs, or riding a bicycle. Riding a bicycle? For a while the thought of getting back on a bicycle made me well up with fear and anxiety. It has been five years since I was in a pretty serious bike accident—one that took me out of commission for at least four weeks of physical activity and took a toll on me emotionally and mentally for a long time after the bruises faded. Since the bike accident, I had a lot of excuses as to why getting back on a bike wasn’t possible. After all, I lived on a small island for the past two years in southeast Asia, was always traveling and besides, running has always been my “go to” workout fix. Since recently landing in Brooklyn, I’ve come to realize the joys of hopping on a bicycle and exploring the neighborhood again. The streets are quiet (minus the occasional gospel outbreak which I thoroughly enjoy) and there are a ton of parks where Kathy and I can cruise until sundown. What does all this fear talk have to do with Hanna’s blog which is geared towards wellness and weight loss? Well, if you take a look at what fear does to you on the emotional level and how much it stimulates your stress hormone (cortisol), it’s pretty evident that if you want optimal health, you have to address your fears. No amount of leafy greens is going to balance you out if you are […]

By |September 11th, 2012|Guest Blog|2 Comments

Wanting, Willing, Doing, and Being Transformed

While I’m in Washington D.C. giving two Energy Leadership workshops, I’ve asked a few fabulous bloggers to step in. Today’s guest blog is by Renée Vos de Wael. It all started after my third baby was born. I knew I had gained weight. And I had to go out to buy a dress for an upcoming wedding. So off I went to my favorite clothes shops, only I wasn’t able to fit into anything. After lots of shops—and even more tears—I found myself sitting on a bench asking myself, “What should I do?” I knew that whatever I decided I needed to accept myself where I was at that moment. Yes I had gained, and yes I didn’t fit into my normal size anymore, but this was definitely a crossroads. Is it bad to be a bigger size? No, because I still made new friends and my social life was wonderful. The only thing that was horrible was the way I spoke to myself. It was self-abuse and it was very painful. From that day, I promised myself that this had to change and the choice was mine. I decided to take this moment as my turning point; from being this low I wanted to grow. How and when still need to be defined, but I left the shopping mall feeling lighter already. The dress came later and on that day I looked beautiful. As I got off that bench, I knew something had to be transformed, but I had no idea how. But my thoughts were focused on what the goal was, and a I had a strong sense of “wanting.” Not long after that, a helping hand was offered to me. My Mother-In-Law came to stay with us and […]

By |September 10th, 2012|Guest Blog|3 Comments

Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping, Slipping….

This morning, my husband David and I are giving an Energy Leadership workshop to 100 students in Western Carolina University’s Project C.A.R.E. (Committed to African-American Retention in Education), so I’m sharing a blog from my fabulous friend and mentor, Jennifer Barley. It is hard to believe how fast time flies. In just a blink of an eye, it’s Saturday, August 25, 2012.  How did it all happen so fast?  Where does the time go? Habits can easily enter our lives or disappear from our lives. We may have had the best routine going and then all of a sudden, it’s been two months since you tracked your food, ate healthy, got in a good workout. Often we “awful-ize” the whole kit-and-kaboodle saying things like, “I can never get back in that routine,” “I can’t get my mo-jo back,” or “Once I lose my groove, I can never find it.” That is so untrue. A new habit is ready to bloom. You just need to start. Today. Yes, start today. And repeat tomorrow. And then again on day three.  Time is going to go by anyway. What new habit are you willing to start? Go ahead and make the commitment by posting your new habit in the comments field. Jennifer Barley is a Professional Certified Life Coach, public speaker, Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) instructor, author and former award-winning Weight Loss Leader. It is Jennifer’s strong belief that every person can create whatever life they choose and she partners with her clients to make it happen. She has a strong talent for motivating, inspiring and adding humor to every situation. Jennifer works with clients one-on-one, in workshop environments, and through online tele-classes. As the […]

By |August 25th, 2012|Guest Blog|4 Comments

10 Ways to Improve Your Day

While I’m in Charleston, South Carolina, this week participating in and presenting a couple of workshops, I thought I would share a few of my favorite blogs. This one is from the fabulous Kristin Barton Cuthriell. Smile at everyone you meet. Write down at least two things that you are grateful for today. Do something physical. (Get rid of the excuses. My friend who works out regularly will be running three miles, while my aunt who has had a stroke, will be sitting in a chair doing her foot exercises. One is not more difficult than the other. They both will be pushing themselves appropriately. What can you do?) Drink plenty of water. Do something nice for someone else. (This does not have to be time-consuming. Sometimes it does not take a whole lot of effort to improve someone else’s day.) Plan something that you will look forward to doing. (An evening walk, a dinner out, a vacation.) Set and accomplish a goal. (Yes, accomplishing this list definitely counts.) When you become upset or frustrated, remember that whatever it is that is bothering you may not matter next year, next month, or even tomorrow. Pray Take at least fifteen minutes to do something that you find relaxing. (Observing nature, talking a walk, meditating, taking a warm bath, listening to music….) Let go of bitterness today and let life in. Kristin Barton Cuthriell, M.Ed, MSW, LCSW Kristin is a licensed psychotherapist and educator currently working in private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families. She utilizes a hope based cognitive behavior approach to therapy and other empirically validated treatments to help individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and difficult life transitions. Prior to entering the mental health field, Kristin spent a decade teaching first, […]

Inspiration for Today

While I’m in Charleston, South Carolina, this week participating in and presenting at a couple of workshops, I thought I would share a few of my favorite blogs. This one is from the fabulous Kristin Barton Cuthriell. Today Today I will live with integrity. Today I will reflect on what it is that I truly value. Today I will make an effort to make my actions match my values and beliefs. Today I will remind myself that living with integrity brings peace of mind. Today I will not dwell on mistakes that I have made in the past, but I will acknowledge the lessons that I have learned. Today I will open my eyes to the good things that surround me. Today I will pause long enough to appreciate today. Related articles Suze Orman: How to Be Happy Every Day (everydayhealth.com) ‘You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.’ Dr Seuss #quote #inspiration #taolife (the1minuteblogger.wordpress.com) inspired by the rain. (belovelive.com) Today! (magicalportal.wordpress.com) One More (sociallyfitblog.wordpress.com) How to get the inspiration (speedupyoursuccess.net) Inspiration today (weheartfun.wordpress.com) Inspiration: All Is Well… (eof737.wordpress.com) 101 Most #Inspiring #Quotes of All Time (kymies3.wordpress.com) Inspirational Theme for the Day =) (livethelist.me) Kristin Barton Cuthriell, M.Ed, MSW, LCSW Kristin is a licensed psychotherapist and educator currently working in private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families. She utilizes a hope based cognitive behavior approach to therapy and other empirically validated treatments to help individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and difficult life transitions. Prior to entering the mental health field, Kristin spent a decade teaching first, third, and sixth grades. She received a BA in Education from Virginia Tech and went on to earn her Master’s in […]

Don’t Let Them Stop You

While I’m in Charleston, South Carolina, this week participating in and presenting a couple of workshops, I thought I would share a few of my favorite blogs. This one is from the fabulous Kristin Barton Cuthriell. “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. “ -Aristotle You have a purpose. There is work to be done. You can do it. There is fun to be had. You can have it. There are people to love. You can love them. There are quiet moments to enjoy. You can enjoy them. There is love to be received. You can receive it. There is life worth experiencing. You can experience it. No matter what you do, there may always be someone out there who finds fault in you. The truth is… we all have faults. The truth is… we can always find a critic. Are you going to allow those critics or the critic that lives within you to hold you back from living your best life? Work hard, play hard, take time to rest, pray, and let life in. When you live with integrity, you can ignore the critic. Related articles • Appreciation Is The Language of the Soul (mothermaryswords.wordpress.com) • The love you give is the love you receive. (positive-thoughts.typepad.com) • The inner Critic (wellnessspirit.wordpress.com)   Kristin Barton Cuthriell, M.Ed, MSW, LCSW Kristin is a licensed psychotherapist and educator currently working in private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families. She utilizes a hope based cognitive behavior approach to therapy and other empirically validated treatments to help individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and difficult life transitions. Prior to entering the mental health field, Kristin spent a decade teaching […]

Painful Lessons: What I Learned from a Bulging Disc

While traveling for the next few days, I thought I would share the inspiring words of some other fabulous coaches. Today’s blog is from my friend and fellow coach, Jodie Rodenbaugh. As a certified personal trainer who lives and breathes wellness, it’s both frustrating and exciting to deal with the pain of an injured back. Frustrating for the obvious pain and helplessness, but exciting to have the opportunity to feel what numerous others go through when dealing with back injuries so I can empathize a little easier. For more than two months, I was at the mercy of my body—a victim of sorts. I’m used to working out hard and fast five days a week and consider myself to be pretty strong. I’m not the patient who sits all day and has no core strength and stability, but I am the patient who didn’t listen to her body when it was trying to tell her she had to pause and pay attention. The first eight weeks I went to a chiropractor and a massage therapist three times a week with no improvement. So I decided it was time to find someone else and by the miracles of the Universe, the instant I made that decision, a man showed up on Facebook and lo and behold he was a chiropractor! He got to the root cause in the first visit and by the second visit I was not only seeing hope, but also getting a glimpse of feeling myself again. The physical cause—my muscle imbalances were pushing my hips out of alignment until they couldn’t support one another. What a relief this was to me! I now have a cause and when we have a cause […]

Living Life By Choosing a Woo to the ‘Who’

While meeting a deadline, attending a workshop, and traveling over the next few days, I thought I would share the inspiring words of some other fabulous coaches. Today’s blog is from my friend, mentor and coach, Jennifer Barley. Every day I feel like I am living a bit more authentically—the true me. I am recognizing patterns that don’t serve me as well as the patterns that do serve me well. I am letting go of putting pressure on myself to do more, be more, and show the world more. I am having fun finding out who I am. Exploring the various sides of me. Understanding myself more and more. Questioning thoughts. Thinking about answers. Continuing to shake up my ‘Who’. I have found that I do really well when I take the time to slow down. I think back on my prior ‘Who’—always rushing from one thing to the next, working all the time, my mind constantly racing and not slowing down—only to be exhausted at the end of the day. I was always going a thousand miles a minute. My new ‘Who’ is about ease. Not resisting. Not defending. Not going against the flow. Approaching my day with ease. Enhancing my work by leveraging the things that I am doing. Being grateful for the ease that has been created in my life. I can still get wound for sound—and it is with ease that I remind myself to breathe. I am working on eliminating my “shoulds” in life and working on the “want tos.” I am working on straightforward conversations. I am working on not changing Who I want to be. I am feeling a true Woo-Who! Jennifer Barley is a Professional Certified Life […]

Sharing A Prosperity Blessing

One of the first things I do every morning is read inspirational emails from a number of my favorite teachers. Today, before I headed upstairs for my workout, I read Veronica Hay’s Prosperity Blessing, which was shared by Bob Proctor in his Insight of the Day. Abundance and prosperity–which are indeed a part of optimal wellness–have been on my mind a lot lately, and this blessing captured how I woke up feeling. Since these are the wishes I have for you, I am sharing her wonderful words. May you be blessed with an amazingly abundant day today! May the clouds break and the heavens pour down upon you more joy, more love, more laughter and more money than you could have ever dreamed of. May the sun shine its golden light of prosperity through every cell of your extraordinary body. May you be cleansed today of any resistance or feelings of unworthiness that you may still be holding onto. May your false illusions of doubt, fear and scarcity gently fall away like soft white feathers on a gentle breeze. May you be willing, simply willing, to allow the Universe to shower you with miracles today. May the Angels wrap you in their shining wings of opulence. May the fairies deliver you to their pot of gold at the end of a majestic rainbow. May your eyes shine with the glorious truth of who you really are and may that truth uplift others in your presence to their own inner knowing. May your ears hear the sound of perfection ringing in your soul. May you taste the deliciousness of every precious bite of life as your day unfolds moment by moment with amazing grace, heartfelt love […]

Waiting for The Other Shoe To Drop . . .

I have family in town, so I thought I’d share this great blog from my mentor and coach, Jennifer Barley.   Bad things happen in threes. If I am too happy, then something bad will happen. I can’t be this lucky. I’ll never be happy like that again. It is amazing the stories we tell ourselves and how those stories can change our energy. Perhaps we are just spinning old wives tales, perhaps it is superstition, perhaps we just don’t want to jinx anything. But what if . . . you could consistently feel good and have things go well in your life all the time? What if you actually believed it? How freeing would that be? Wherever you put your energy expands. If you are looking for the third bad thing—well, you’re going to find it. If you are thinking about the other shoe dropping, well you’re going to be looking out for ‘when’ that will actually happen. Our fear is that something—such as happiness, joy, bliss—will be taken away from us. It can’t. Those qualities live within each of us regardless of anything external or anything that happens to us. It doesn’t mean that life won’t give us a wide spectrum of experiences—but inner qualities can exist regardless of the circumstance. Don’t feel like you have to hoard your happiness—feel it, expand it, share it, know that it has the potential to always be there. You have to be open to that possibility. Live in a mentality of abundance—not lack. Allow yourself to imagine the “what if I could experience more joy” mentality. You can. You just have to be open to it.     Jennifer Barley is a Professional Certified Life Coach, […]

By |May 19th, 2012|Guest Blog|6 Comments