My Younger (Fearless) Self
So, now that we are
embarking on a fearless journey, it
helps to have the right tools to use along the way. I really believe having a
bucket list (search my earlier blogs on this) is a wonderful starting point. I
recently did a sampling of acupuncture. I always wanted to try this but had
left it off my BL. That’s how life works, sometimes you are suddenly presented
with a great experience & it is up to you to take that risk & leap! A
great tool, I feel, is to find an old photo of just yourself. It should be a
young (fearless you). It should be
one that you could place on a desk and say “this makes me happy.” It needs to
invoke a time for you that was joyful, or it should look like you are just
plain having fun with your life. My photo is to the left here. I was just a few
years old & on the beach in Margate, NJ, simply having a blast! (Lucy the
Elephant is in the background) I look joyful,
I can feel that from the photo. I can
picture my Dad with his box camera taking this treasured shot. Heck, it even
looks like I’m doing my first asana – the spinal twist! Too funny! And that is
how this photo should go. Let it be one that lifts your heart, makes you smile
& helps encourage you to take risks (like you did when you were a kid). Be fearless with your choice!
Fearless Journey
In
this month’s O Magazine, Dr. Phil talks about the F-word. We’re talking about
the word behind a staggering high percentage of life choices we make. The word
is fear. A psychology professor of
the good Dr. said 80 percent of decisions are based on fear rather than desire.
Wow. Think what that means... Too hard to grasp, I know. And we are not talking
about not walking down a dark alley kind of fear. We are talking settling on a
boring job offer instead of on a career that makes you happy because you are afraid no one else will hire you kind of
fear. Dr. Phil believes we don’t even notice we’ve been selling out (I call it
settling) because that’s all we’ve done most of our lives. (see link below to
the full article).
I began a more fearless journey when I turned 50. (Yes, starting with this blog I
had been thinking about writing.) I
have to say, being fearless has been downright fun! This year alone, me posing a question to my besties, “who
wants to go to Scotland with me?” was terrifying. I was fearless igniting an
idea & they in turn were fearless in saying yes! The planning & the
trip were remarkable. So many things could have gone wrong, but didn’t. We all
found the money, our aging parents stayed healthy & we stayed healthy so we
could all see this dream vacation materialize. Kudos to all of us for taking a
risk. They probably didn’t even realize they were embarking on a fearless journey too! One book that has
helped with so many aspects of becoming ‘great’ & ‘fearless’ is 8 to Great by M K Mueller. I’ve mention
it before in my blog. It’s a book everyone should read, young & older. Risk
taking is covered at length here. Taking risks is such an important part of
staying young. What good is being young if your heart & mind feel lifeless
& old? In the 1960’s two psychotherapists went around the world to study 33
different cultures to find what the happiest people had in common. The most
common characteristics was not love, money, fame, good looks, health or lots of
friends. It was risk. Meuller asks, so who has more fear cowards or heroes?
Turns out we all have the same, but heroes feel the fear and do it anyway.
So take this fearless journey with me. The road to success in never a straight line,
so don’t worry about the stumbles along the way. Two of the hardest risks are
believing in our dreams & trusting, but the rewards are great. Start small,
but start losing those fears. Check in on your bucket list & revive your
fearless spirit!! The journey is all yours to begin, to savor, to live.
Remember, “Some people
live for ninety years. Others just live one year ninety times. ~Dr. Wayne Dyer
“Life is an ongoing process of choosing
between safety (out of fear) and risk (for growth), Make the growth choice a
dozen times a day.
~ Abraham Maslow
Houseplants For Health
So,
did you know, according to the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), the
inside of your home is often more polluted that the outside. Scary, yes,
fixable ~ yes, yes, yes. We generate toxic fumes when we cook & clean for
starters. Although I’d love to always eat out & never raise a toilet brush,
let’s be practical. We can start reducing in-home pollutants (even
cancer-causing ones) like benzene & formaldehyde with houseplants.
Researchers at NASA have known for years that certain houseplants effectively
reduce home levels of pollutants. (Heck, they use them in space!) As an added
bonus, houseplants will increase the relative humidity in the air which has
been shown to have a relaxing effect. Plants have also been proven to reduce
dust accumulation (woo hoo-double bonus). I have to admit, as much as I love
outdoor plants, I have been a houseplant slacker. I don’t have great light
& I’ve used that as an excuse. Also, plants can sometimes look dated. So I
will help us all get over that. Two excellent choices are gerbera daisies (so
pretty) and the ficus tree are for sunnier locations. The pothos & peace
lily are wonderful air cleaning machines for medium to low light. Also on the
list, for this autumnal time of year, is the florist mum! So if you need a
beautiful hostess gift this time of year, think mums. At Christmastime, perhaps
a red gerbera daisy for something different & healthy! I think containers
have come a looong way to make a plant look special in any room. Enjoy the
clean air!
Check out the links below. The first is
for gerbera daisy care & the second for a list on 10 of the best plants!
One of the surprises for me was liriope or lily turf. I adore this outdoor
plant. Who knew it will do wonders inside too!
Mediterranean & Menopause
So
what do a Mediterranean diet & menopause have in common? Well, according to
a new Australian study, you may be able to reduce hot flashes and night sweats
by eating a diet rich in fruits like strawberries & pineapple and by following
a Mediterranean-type diet. This would include garlic, salad greens, pasta &
red-wine! These eating habits may help stabilize blood sugar & estrogen
levels which would ease uncomfortable menopause symptoms. They had me at red
wine...
As an added bonus, it turns out a Mediterranean
diet (or better way of eating) may also be vital to fighting the metabolism
slowdown that follows weight loss. A Harvard study shows that eating this way
can help keep energy levels elevated so you could naturally burn about 20
percent more calories throughout the day vs eating a low fat diet. The blood
sugar swings are eliminated, so no metabolism sabotage there. No more plateau
problems. Eating more fish, fresh fruits & veggies, whole grains, beans,
legumes, nuts & healthy fats like olive oil is hardly a ‘diet’ in my book. Check
out the Dr. Oz link below for more suggestions with 12 rules to live by &
the Mediterranean better way of eating.
And check out Dr. Oz’s
shopping list link below. Did you know you can even save money eating this
way!?!
6 Things Your Body is Trying to Tell You!
This
is what I like to call ‘reminder’ information. Info that you know but sometimes
forget how important it is! Aside from the obvious, when participating in any
form of exercise, stop if feeling any pain or discomfort. From the editors of Prevention magazine, here are reminders
of things your body can be trying to tell you & that you should listen!
1~
When you are dehydrated: Our kidneys lose some efficiency over time so sip
water throughout the day. Not everyone needs eight glasses a day, start with
less. If you get sluggish during the day, you may be dehydrated. Water is best,
but herbal tea is okay too. Coffee is healthy for you, but don’t count it as
your fluids.
2~
When to go easy on dessert: As we age, our metabolic rate slows due to less
muscle mass, being more sedentary & a decline in cellular activity. So we
need to move more & be mindful
eaters. The desserts that worked for you in your 20’s may be tougher to burn
off in later years. Skip altogether or choose wisely.
3~
When to hit the hay: Face it, few of us can go, go, go on a few hours of sleep
a night. (Sorry, Martha, we can’t keep up!) Get more sleep than you think you
need & always at least 7 hours. Go off the grid an hour before bedtime for
a more restful sleep.
4~
When you need to stretch: ALL THE TIME, I swear! By our 40’s, most of us have
lost 3-4 inches in the sit-and-reach test. Yikes. The elasticity of tendons,
ligaments & joints decreases. Studies show the more flexible you are, the
less stiff your arteries are! The answer: yoga & tai chi.
5~
When to drop a grudge: Studies show we become more forgiving as we age so...
cultivate a kinder heart for a healthier heart! Learn to forgive yourself too!
6~ When to skip that extra glass of wine: We
know it is good for you but as you age, you begin to lose the ability to
tolerate alcohol due to the body retaining less water. Stick to glass every now
& then.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)