Holiday gift ideas

Christmas is no longer about draining our pockets with STUFF. Christmas is now about caring about and encouraging small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. When we care about others, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

Do you really need another shirt or perfume? How about thinking outside of the box and keeping the money circulating within our community? If you have those bucks to spend, leave the mailman, trash guy or baby sitter a nice tip so the money turns over in our community.

Here are some gift ideas

Everyone gets their haircut and nails done. How about gift certificates from your salon?

Gym membership, tickets to a movie, play, the city zoo, or green Fees for a few holes at the golf course. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car shined/tuned up or oil serviced? A grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter by a local contractor. House cleaning service, computer service, dance lessons, local crafts/jewelry all help support our community. Don't forget local restaurants offer gift certificates as well.   

Until 1/5/2013, So You is doing a gift certificate holiday special. Buy any service and get the 2nd one 1/2 OFF. Call or email, we can mail it to you so you don't have to come by to pick it up! Stress FREE holiday!

Having your cookie

It starts out innocently...You head to the office and low and behold someone has brought in holiday cookies.  It is Friday afternoon and you justify that you have been 'good' all week so "why not?" 1 somehow turns into 3 and you further reason that Annie from accounting has eaten 6 already so you must be much more disciplined.

According to the U.S.D.A., 1 shortbread cookie contains 105 calories with over 45 of those calories coming from fat.  Your 3 cookies added up to 315 extra calories - you chalk it up to a long work week.  When you come home you have a martini and then some wine with dinner.  You begin to relax again and feel at ease.  A small to medium vodka martini has approximately 127 calories.  A glass of wine has approximately 100 calories.

Alcohol confuses the body and prevents the liver from producing glucose.  When alcohol is combined with sugar the body will have an insulin spike followed by a rapid crash or an attack of hypoglycemia.  This causes a cycle of needing another 'hit' of sugar to come up again.

    

Just two extra cookies or a holiday latte each day for one week can add up to 3500 calories which is equivalent to one pound of fat.  Once our body creates new fat cells it cannot ever lose them, they can only shrink.  This is why scientists suggest that gaining and losing weight over and over again is very hard on the body.

The Holidays offer many opportunities to consume extra sugar and alcohol-I too struggle with saying NO! To be in balance is to have the health to support the life we want to live and occasionally, as in once per week, having that cookie, is fine as long as you are aware of how to offset the sugar coursing through your veins. Take your POWER back by understanding your relationship with food and reminding yourself of how good it feels in the "after-effect."  Here are some tips:

Tips for Dealing with Sugar

• Have one 'cheat' day once per week and allow yourself to indulge.  Make sure you exercise on that day.
• Eat mindfully.  It takes the body at least 20 to register fullness and in that time you can consume a lot of calories.  Savor each morsel, breathe and be aware.
• Combine your sugar with a protein.  This will slow down the conversion to blood glucose.  As a kid you probably had cookies and milk and then went to run outside and play.  The same holds true though I recommend that if you do have something sugary that you have ½ a protein shake.
• Eat before you go to the party.  Have a small handful of organic raw almonds, a glass of sparkling water or ½ a protein shake.
• Avoid combining sugar and alcohol.  You will feel the effects.  If you choose to drink keep the sugar and the alcohol separate by at least half an hour or longer.
• Focus on your goal.  Is it worth it to have a second, third or fourth cookie? 
• Take a multi-vitamin that contains chromium.  Chromium is a wonderful nutrient that helps to regulate blood glucose levels.
• Never consume artificial sweeteners.

Riding out the storm, picking your waves

Hurricane Sandy is much more powerful than I thought it would be and causing such waves! Part of it is because of the full moon. It never ceases to amaze me how it moves physical and emotional waves on all levels.

I wrote about the full moon a couple of months ago with the Blue Moon. With all the chaos, it is easy to get lost in emotions. It is severe, but remaining calm amidst the storm will guide you through the storm, as is in life.  I wrote about how these are going to be times of more waves and if you learn to ride out the waves the waves will give you a better surf. If you have been going through alot, remember this.

Remember how you like to ride the BIG waves, release the fear and remember how fun it is when you are able to crest the wave. Perhaps you need to shift your hips a little and you will be able to ride it better. You gotta swim hard to get to that place in the big wave. If you have been prepared to take on the big waves, it's really exhilarating right now! Where-ever you are right now, just check in with what you want to surf and move from here.

Thank goodness I have the lotus mudra meditation to keep me sane everyday, reminding me to do only things I can control, which are my emotions, thoughts, and actions. BREATHE! Breathe in light, breathe out tension. Breathe in love, breathe out fear. Breathe in faith, breathe out doubt. Breathe in trust, breathe out anxiety. Breathe in hope, breathe out disappointment. Breathe in joy, breathe out anger. You are enough. You have infinite potential. You can do, be, and have whatever you dream. All is well in your world.

Open Your Heart

I went to the Madonna concert this past Thursday. During the concert a strange thing happened. When she sang the song "Open Your Heart" much of the music quieted down for me and the words rang really clear. I've never really been a fan of this song but there was a message I was suppose to get out it. Some of the words are "I hold the lock and you hold the key. I'll give you love, if you turn the key." I kept getting images of this Skeleton key with a heart on it. I kept seeing a heart lock as well. The next morning in my meditation the words kept ringing though again and the same images. I asked the universe what is it that I'm suppose to connect. They told me it was time to turn the key. I held both the lock and the key. It was a really powerful point of awareness.

All of our hearts are lock up. You hold the key to open up your own heart and you hold the key to open up other people's heart. At the heart of every relationship is communication and YOU at any time have the power to unlock it whatever you want it to be. They will love you as long as YOU turn the key. 

As giving as we all are, our hearts are locked up. It's to protect us because we've been through a lot of things in our lives and now we are living more from our heads than our hearts. Check in with the words you use and you will catch yourself on how you resist many things you want. Are your words aligned with pure potential, pure love intent, pure joy? Your words are your law. Your words dictate your emotions. Your emotions control your thoughts. Your thoughts filter info and guide you to decisions. Your decisions create your destiny.

As we go into this last quarter of the year, I would like to remind you to live with your heart above your head. This could be the time of the best celebrations or greatest stress. The vibrancy you release will inspire others and remind them of their blessed lives. Check in often with yourself so you stay in your Vortex. Life and doubt will knock you out of it so remember how good it feels when you are in your power, flow, beauty, and alignment. Don't compare yourself to others because you have your path. The world deserves the best You, the happiest you. In this light you change people and re-ignite their inspiration. Every interaction you have can change someone's life. YOU must be the change YOU want to see in the world. Love people for where they are at and be the benchmark for where they could be. You can only control your thoughts and actions, please choose the good ones.

Lastly I want to remind you that it is EASY! Stop using the words "It's hard" because you make it hard. Your words are your law. When it seems difficult, ask yourself how am I making this harder on myself than it is? What is it that I must surrender? Is this thought serving me? What is it that I must learn? Is this really true? What can I do? What is the better thought? What does my soul need now? Then affirm yourself that it is imperfectly perfect, release the idea of perfection.

BREATHE! Breathe in light, breathe out tension. Breathe in love, breathe out fear. Breathe in faith, breathe out doubt. Breathe in trust, breathe out anxiety. Breathe in hope, breathe out disappointment. Breathe in joy, breathe out anger. You are enough. You have infinite potential. You can do, be, and have whatever you dream. All is well in your world.

I believe in you. 

Happy Harvesting!

I like any reason to celebrate and this is a celebration time! According to the Lunar Calendar, the Moon Festival is this Saturday September 15th, this is like the the Fall Equinox in the Asian culture. It is a time to Harvest your summer crops and feast.  

Last year I had a conversation with a friend where we spoke metaphorically about the concept of feast or famine which changed my mindset. This may resonate with you and help you shift for a more abundant HARVEST for years and beyond! 

Have you ever thought that your life is either "feast or famine?" For me, I've said this plenty of times, more so when it comes to dating! I'll go through a drought and then date a few and then there will be a drought again. In health, I'll go through times of lots of exercise, eating clean and cleansing regularly.  Then I totally blow it with little or no exercise, loading up on carbs and sugars. In business, August/Sept has always been a slower time in business. Does this pattern sound like you?

Does it make you a little neurotic and anxious like it does for me? My friend told me she wanted me to stop believing in the thought of feast or famine because it is a sub-conscious sabotage, even if I'm joking about it! In this belief, it puts me in a survival mode. In feasting times I know it will be over soon so I better eat what I can. In famine times I'm scavenging for what I can, praying for miracles, and ultimately not believing I have the skills to grow healthy and abundant crop to last me.  

What if you could HARVEST all year long? Every season has it's crop(s). At the beginning, identify what those crops are. Right now is the time to plant the seeds of intention while you are picking your HARVEST. Look at who showed up in your life at the beginning of summer that you really connected with. Every person that enters your life is for a reason, season, or lifetime. Seek to see how you can grow from each other. Seeds need time and consistent watering to grow. In your harvest, what should you cook now, what can be stored away for a few days or weeks, and what should you can/preserve for later? Your life is an abundant greenhouse and you can harvest all year! I wish you an abundant HARVEST and Happy Moon Festival! 

Oh Blue Moon

I was walking back to the salon last night from 2nd Home and saw the moon. It's gorgeous! My friend Amanda told me earlier in the day that there are 2 full moons this month. I came home to google it and found out that this rarely happens and when it does, the 2nd moon is called a "blue moon" Which is why there is that saying, "once in a blue moon." The full moon is on Friday Aug 31, 2012.

Because the full moon has power to change the tides, this is a very powerful time if you want it to be. It's about a time of waves, changes, and dreams. So if life is about riding out the waves...there are lots of waves right now! Take this time to pick out your waves so that you can SURF the best waves. There are lots of new opportunities for you and you can ride as many waves as you want. This is a time of excitement and allows for the dreams and the changes you want.

Take time today to think about one thing you want to change in your life or add to. Whatever is the first thing that pops in your head is your inner child and make it that. Ask the universe for it, or put it in the lotus meditation this week and see what manifests!

Happy Thursday an happy dreaming!

Confronting your fear...confession

Confession...this is somewhat embarrassing...

At the end of 2011, I wrote and produced a guided meditation. It happened in a matter of a month and perhaps by the grace of Jesus-Buddha-Allah-Krishna and all other things Holy, I finished it and it was downloadable on my website. It was very exciting and then I didn't know what to do with it... I did the most passive aggressive thing... I couldn't truly move forward with the marketing and getting it to a physical CD.

 

After quietly sending it to all the good people who had pre-ordered it digitally (for which I am deeply grateful. Thank you.), I moved on to the next project. Truth was, I was scared. Even after receiving positive feedback and testimonials, I was afraid that you wouldn't like it. I was afraid of criticism and failure.Unconsciously convinced by the little voice in my head that told me it wasn't good enough and that I wasn't good enough.

I've been meditating for years but I couldn't see myself as an expert. I only had 2 guided meditation CDs I personally owned. So I did the Chopra 21 day meditation challenge, bought 5 other meditations, went to guided meditation workshops and oneness blessings.  

It bothered me. Every few weeks, I would be reminded of this incomplete project. Someone would ask or I would think about it and then feel completely embarrassed. And none of the meditations got me anchored and inspired as much as my lotus mudra meditation in a matter of 6 or 13.5 minutes.

I did my meditation personally everyday because it really eased me. I take myself out of it and imagine it is someone else to keep focused. The more I did it, the more answers did show up for me, giving me peace and courage to get the 1st production of the CD out. The first production has some mistakes but the content is perfect. The other stuff is easily revisable.  

The CDs arrived July 5th and seeing it in the physical form was the mental bridge I need to cross over. Now standing on the other side, it is a breathe of fresh air and new adventures await...

 

My point of telling you all of this is two fold:

1. Letting you know what this project is all about and how it can be what you have been seeking.  

2. If you have a project that you want to do but fear keeps getting in the way, or have a project you've started but never launched.... Just do it!  It will be more painful not to do it, because thinking about it will eat at you and consume an enormous amount of energy.