The Secret

The Law of Attraction certainly is getting a lot of attention since the mega hit book/movie/media "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.

When I first read the book, I could totally relate to many of the principals.  Do I think that if I stay up all night focusing on a brand new Mercedes in my driveway, it will be there when I wake up in the morning?  No, I don't.  What I do know for sure though, is if I think there will never be a Mercedes in my driveway, then there won't be.  I think too much attention has been given to the broad idea of manifestation, without enough emphasis on the free will that would NEED to be involved as well. You're not going to win the lottery, no matter how much you believe it, unless you buy a lottery ticket!

So I guess what I'm saying that to me, the Law of Attraction is more about focusing on what is important to you, and then believing you can make it happen.  It's about positive, optimistic thinking, leading to a positive, optimistic outlook on life.  Who was it that said "If you think you can't do something, you're right"?

Have you ever heard of Sandra Anne Taylor?  She's just re-published a book called Truth, Triumph and Transformation, and its fabulous.  It's a hands on book, a book to DO, not just read.  Most of Sandra's books are like that.  You need to buy your own copy, because if you're like me, you'll be highlighting and writing all over it.  It basically takes the law of attraction, and puts it in your own hands, showing what you can do to focus your mindset on the positives in your life to attract what it is you desire.  Most of Sandras books were originally published well before "The Secret" was even written, Sandra has been writing and lecturing about the Law of Attraction for years.  Another great book she wrote is "Secrets of Attraction", published in 1991, again well before Rhonda Byrnes book.  If you have a few minutes, listen to this interview with Sandra Taylor:




I really believe that in order to have the best, you have to expect the best!

(And yes,  I HAVE manifested open parking spaces when I really need one!)

Live as if time is infinite!

All the wrinkled ladies

You may have seen this, but come on, isn't it worth watching every day?


Check this out.




Really, to me, this says it all about my baby boomer friends and me.  How AWESOME to just "love what you got"!  I know I have all the pots and creams, no plastic surgery (yet!), plenty of wrinkles to work on.  I'm sure I will always be looking for the great haircuts and color (thanks Sherene!), newest makeup and latest anti-aging creams.  Hopefully, I will also still remember all the love and fun that went in to the last fourty something years that brought me to who I am today.  I earned these wrinkles!

Have a great weekend, and Love who you are!

Live as if time is infinite!

What the heck is Reiki?

From reiki.org:

"Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy."

Who among us wouldn't benefit by stress reduction and relaxation?  Not to mention healing energy?

There are three degrees of Reiki practitioners.  According to Reiki practitioners and Masters, at First Degree, a Reiki practitioner is able to heal themselves and others, at Second Degree is able to heal others distantly (commonly called distant healing) with the use of specialised symbols, and at Master/Teacher level is able to teach and attune others to Reiki.

I took a Reiki One workshop a few weeks ago at Essence of Self.  I really didn't know what to expect, I had heard about Reiki, but couldn't really explain what it was to anyone that asked.  Nancy Smith, the owner, is a friend of mine, and she taught the Reiki One workshop.  As usual, she did a great job, she's casual and fun, a very smart lady!  I have always been wanting to take this workshop, mainly because my life seems to be on a more mindful and spiritual path.  Life always seemed to get in the way, so I was happy to finally be able to commit to this training.  I'm very much looking forward to Reiki Two!

From Nancy's handout:
"Through Reiki, the practitioner has the ability to discern a person's troubled energy spots and rebalance them, providing profound relaxation and enhanced healing."

Reiki does not replace ANY of your traditional healing methods.  It is meant to relax and enhance those traditional methods, by bringing in positive healing energy.  Many reiki masters are nurses, nuns, priests, and other mindful everyday people.  I can only imagine the peace and relaxation that a reiki session would bring in a hospice situation.

Some resources:

Essence of Self

Holistic Online

Essential Reiki

Reiki Healing Yourself and Others


Live as if time is infinite!

I love to eat!

Christmas Eve Feast!

I love food.  I love to cook, I love restaurants, I love BBQs, I love to eat!  I've printed so many recipes online, I would pretty much have to quit my job and do nothing but cook if I had any plans to get to them all.

I also love my clothes, so I need to find ways to adjust my eating habits to stay healthy.  Let me tell you, it's getting harder and harder as those birthdays rack up.

I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite recipe resources.  I really try to eat healthy, and more recently, eat clean foods.  Less preservatives, less processed food. 

My very favorite recipe site is http://www.allrecipes.com/.  You can find recipes there for absolutely anything, and there are tons and tons of reviews, which makes it fun.  Here are a few of my favorites:

1.  Worlds Best Lasagna  OK so I'm Italian and I can cook up an Italian feast in my sleep. I'm shocked myself that I'm using someone elses recipe.  This is fabulous.  The calorie count isn't too bad as it's printed, you can use lower fat cheese and whole wheat pasta if you want to healthy it up.

2.  Strawberry Spinach Salad  Just because it's a salad doesn't make it healthy, and this does have a good amount of sugar in the dressing.  I love pure sugar, and almost never use sugar substitutes, so I love this recipe.  Give it a try this summer!

3.  Marinated Grilled Shrimp  Another great summer recipe.  There are a bunch of great shrimp marinades on this site, this is my favorite, maybe because it has two of my favorite ingredients, basil and garlic.

4.  Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread     This is so easy to make, freezes well, and is an unusual brunch type bread.  Served with some brie, and an assortment of fruit, and I feel as if I'm at the Mad Batter in Cape May!

I can go on forever, so maybe I'll do this again in a few weeks, but for now lets move on to cookbooks.

Silence

Silence.   It's so rare in my life!  I really can't count the number of TV's, video games, appliances, cell phones, and Ipods all constantly making noise around me!  This is just inside, then there's the outside noises, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, car alarms, and more.  You can't even have dinner at a nice restaurant anymore without cell phones ringing and people talking on them at full volume.

Today's noisy lifestyle is leading to higher levels of stress, and an increase in hearing problems.  I came across this organization while doing research for this blog, check out The Right to Quiet Society .  I have to spend more time looking into this organization, but I love their premise! 

It's not always easy to sit in silence.  After years of constant noise, it takes some practice.  It can be uncomfortable at first, white noise can numb your feelings, distract your thoughts, and cover sensations that the silence may reveal.  Start a few minutes a day, getting comfortable in your own company.  Increase the quiet time as you get more comfortable.  It will allow your energies to calm down, and instill self awareness. Silence is valuable, critical to our sleep, health and well being.  It creates clarity, and strengthens your ability to focus.  Eventually you'll come to love the sensations of being alone! 

Imagine those quiet evenings, just you and the night sky.  The air is still, the only sound is the clinking of your wine glass when you reach for it!  Sitting contemplative is amazing, sometimes silence like that even gets "loud".  You start out the evening high-strung and talkative, and finish it up restful and calm.


According to the World Health Organization:
 "Excessive noise seriously harms human health and interferes with people’s daily activities at school, at work, at home and during leisure time. It can disturb sleep, cause cardiovascular and psychophysiological effects, reduce performance and provoke annoyance responses and changes in social behaviour." 
http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-do/health-topics/environmental-health/noise

There's also the added benefit of keeping silent to keep yourself out of trouble!

Live as if Time is Infinite!


"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence."


- Xenocrates (396-314 B.C.)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1631878.htm

http://www.alive.com/6122a15a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=5

http://www.newswise.com/articles/less-noise-at-home-better-adjusted-kids

Vitamin D

Vitamin D.  It's been all over the news for the past 5 or so years, being touted as a miracle to aging.  Have you tried it?

I have.  My primary doctor is an MD, practicing in holistic based medicine.  He routinely runs tests, checking to see that my health continues to be balanced and strong.  To be honest, sometimes I feel like I would need to take out a second mortgage to pay for all the supplements he recommends, so with his guidance, I pick and choose what makes sense to me.  Without fail, my vitamin D levels are low or low/normal, and I'm always supplementing with vitamin D pills.

To reference yesterdays blog, I CAN say that my levels are much higher in the summer, when I'm spending more time outdoors.  There is tons of research finding that first and foremost, get out in the sun to boost your vitamin D levels.  The balance you have to find, for yourself, is how much sun can your skin handle without burning, since the findings show that sunscreen blocks the absorption of vitamin D.  For sure discuss this with your dermatologist to find out how much sun you can safely handle.  It's too easy to supplement with over the counter vitamins to risk skin cancer!   I'm not a huge fan of slathering chemicals all over my skin, so I try to find a happy medium.  If I'm sitting on beach, I'm slathering.  If I'm out for a walk, I try to watch to keep from burning. 

How much supplemental vitamin D do you need?  LOTS.  This translates to multiple pills per day, which you not only have to remember to take, you have to be able to afford!  No matter how hard I try, I never seem to be able to be consistent in taking the multiple supplements.  There is a prescription Vitamin D supplement, 50000IUs/pill.  When I found out my 50 pills/week could be reduced to one,  I started with one pill per week early this year.  There is some controversy with prescription vs over the counter supplements, I'm still trying to see if it works for me.  The negatives being discussed about the prescription version is that the 50000IUs aren't as effective as 50000IUs of the supplement, but frankly even I have to take five per week, it's still much more doable for me than 50 pills per week.  In addition, most of the research I could find comparing the two are on websites associated with selling supplements or tanning services, so be aware of their motivation.  I had blood work done after about two months, and while my levels were much better than before I started taking them, they were still too low.  I'm now taking two per week, and I'm due for more blood work, I'm hoping it's helping!  I certainly feel a lot better than a few months ago.

Both conventional and holistic doctors are in complete agreement with the benefits of additional vitamin D to our overall health.  You should always discuss ALL of your supplements and vitamins with your primary care doctor, they should be able to assist you in determining the right amounts for you.  Be sure to ask you doctor for the simple blood test checking your current Vitamin D levels, and then monitor those levels as you adjust your supplements.  Every single solitary person I know, when finally getting their D level tested, found it to be low.  This may be less this in the summertime, so if your levels are OK, get tested again in a few months.

Lastly, Vitamin D does not discriminate!  Men, women, and children alike are all not getting enough vitamin D, so get your kids tested also.

This blog could go on forever with the long long list of benefits of proper Vitamin D levels, so I'll spare you and leave you with a few links to check out!  I would love to hear about your personal experiences.

Live as if time is infinite!

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2008/06/23/time-in-the-sun-how-much-is-needed-for-vitamin-d.html

http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits_vitamind.htm

http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/16353/

http://www.bing.com/health/article/healthwise-1250036537/Vitamin-D-Getting-Enough-Topic-Overview?q=prescription+vitamin+d&FORM=FFF

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20590122/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-soram-khalsa/vitamin-d-if-you-cant-get_b_83626.html

Time with nature

A very important component of my ideal lifestyle is my time with nature.  I love the beach, and I live by a lake in the mountains.  When life gets hairy, you'll find me lacing up my sneakers for a walk or a hike.  I'm pretty sure I've logged THOUSANDS of miles walking around Erskine Lake! 

Nature is spectacular.  From the views on top of my mountain trails, to the Botanical Gardens, Ringwood is nature at its finest.  I'm always finding new plants to add to my garden, trading perennials with friends and neighbors, I still have black eyed Susan flowers from Dorothy Bryan's rock gardens!  I'm pretty sure she's happy to be remembered by her gardens.  I'm a firm believer in the good karma sharing your garden brings!  Take a look at my latest deck renovation, what a fabulous way to enjoy nature in your own backyard.

As a seating arrangement:

To just flop and enjoy the sun and my yard:

Those of you that know me and my beach bum soul can understand what a great place this is to lounge out with a great book, some suntan lotion and a huge bottle of water!  Come join me!

This brings me to The Ocean.  There are no words to describe the peace that the ocean brings to my soul.  Winter, spring, summer and fall, the rhythm of the waves and the sparkle of the sand continues to mesmerize me.  While table salt is being banned from our diets, sea salt is encouraged.  The health and healing properties of sea salt are numerous.  Weren't we all told as kids to go into the ocean to sooth our mosquito bites, minor cuts and scrapes? 

I can't talk about the ocean this week and not mention the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico.  I don't know how we're going to do it, but we really need to find a way to live with less oil consumption.  Off topic, but it's on my mind daily and my thoughts and intentions are always with those directly involved.

I've gone on and on about the wonders of nature in my own life, here's why I think this is so important.  I believe that the modern disconnection from nature has a detrimental effect on our own health, and on the planet.  I love a great night in NYC as well, so I get that its not all about the flowers and the trees, but I think its important for us all to find a better balance.  The definition of nature can be different for us all, some may think of nature as untouched wilderness, does that include your potted plant in your urban apartments?  Pets and insects? Or only wild animals?  Really, the answer will be different for each of us. 

It's so important that we remember that staying healthy is not just a physical endeavour.  Our body will be healthier if we remember to pamper our mind and soul as well!

Check out these sites when you have some time.

http://my-garden-world.com/?p=242

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/natural-settings-help-brain-fatigue/

http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/back-nature-take-your-workout-outdoors?context=ages-and-stages/14&context_title=&context_description=


http://www.prevention.com/health/health/healthy-living/fresh-air-can-help-your-brain/article/3bf9b3eb1f463110VgnVCM20000012281eac____/

http://njbg.org/

My own prescription for health is less paperwork and more running barefoot through the grass. ~Terri Guillemets

Live as if time is infinite!

First week wrap up

Wow what interesting feedback on this blog!  I fear that the people that are in my life are going to be finding out all kinds of things about me that they never knew before!  Bring it on, I can take it. :-)  You KNOW I'm always up for lively debates!  Stay tuned, the topics get more interesting.  

I don't expect everyone to have all of the same beliefs as I do. I'm just hoping to encourage you all to remember to keep your minds open, especially as some of these topics relate to your own lives.  Most of the feedback came via email to me, it would be great if you all started leaving comments as well, so they can be shared with all.

Please let me know if there are topics you would like me to talk about, or even if you would like to "guest blog" and add your OWN thoughts on these or other matters. 

I decided to start writing this blog because it's important to me to keep my body and my mind strong as I rack up those birthdays. I'm always learning about new things.  I love to chat about what I have going on, but since my interests are so diverse, it's not always easy to match the conversation with the audience!  For example, this upcoming week I'm taking a Reiki workshop, and a class on Dreams.  A couple of weeks ago I took a 4 day class on Project Management for IP phone systems.  A bit of a dichotomy, wouldn't you say?  My right brain is frequently at odds with my left brain!  I'm always sharing my newest passions with the people around me, this blog allows them to pick and choose what topics they're interested in.  In any case, I see so many Baby Boomers/Generation Xrs feeling lost and discouraged as time goes on, I hope I can help motivate a few of you to change your mindset.  It's not too late to do ANYTHING!  Keep on keepin on. 

Thanks so much for all the kind words and encouragement!  Feel free to email me or call me if there's anything you want more info on, or just want to chat.  I'm feeling the love!

Live as if time is Infinite!

Portfolio Career

Thursdays topic will be education and career.

Charles Handy is frequently listed in the "Thinkers 50".  He coined the term "portfolio worker" in the early 1990's, stating that future careers will be made of up lots of small jobs rather than one big one.  He went on to say that Portfolio Careers offer greater flexibility, and especially saw more women taking advantage of this career type.  Here's a quote from Charles Handy book, The Age of Unreason: "individuals will maintain portfolios of their skills, abilities, and achievements with which they obtain temporary assignments in a variety of organisations, rather than securing permanent jobs.”

Many experts predict that the days of having one job and career for your whole life are waning.  In my family, most of my parents generation did just that, one job and career for life.  My dad was in education, working for the same school district for FIFTY YEARS. When you start moving down into my generation and younger, that seems to be changing.  For one thing, companies aren't as stable as they used to be, and jobs aren't as secure.  People are having to keep their portfolio of skills up to date, so that they can take advantage of those skills if and when they have to find a new job.

So exactly what is a Portfolio Career?  Here's a great seminar explaining:




This really resonated with me.  I've always worked, always learning and adding to my portfolio.  At the same time, I've raised kids and had a home to keep up.  I have a portfolio career, and I didn't even know it!  How great to be able to put a name to the years of assorted career choices I've made.  So many women can say the same thing, as they balance home and career.  Somehow putting a name to it adds validation.  I'm mixing "Portfolio Career" and "Career Portfolio" a little, there is a difference, but you do need a "Career Portfolio" to have a "Portfolio Career".  Hopefully that makes sense.

Clearly there are some skills needed if you're going to have a successful Portfolio Career, in addition to the career skills themselves.  You need to be organized enough to schedule your time well.  You need to plan your budget around fluctuating finances.  You need to fund your retirement plans without corporate help.  You need to be comfortable with the technology used by multiple businesses. Here's a nice concise "how to": http://www.quintcareers.com/portfolio_career_tips.html

This concept seems to be more popular in Europe than here in the US, mainly because of the health care system.  Without getting into the politics of THAT issue, I'm sure you can see how that can be true.  Here in the US, having a stable job means continued health benefits.  That may be changing here, maybe we'll be able to be more flexible with our careers if it does!

What does this mean to you and me?  It means we take a personal inventory of all the skills we've accumulated over the years, and organize them into a portfolio.  Even if you haven't had an official paycheck, you've accumulated these skills running PTA's and sports banquets.  Add in the Quicken class you took at the library to manage your household budget, the sign language class you took to communicate with the kid down the street, and you have ONE IMPRESSIVE PORTFOLIO!  In my mind, that is every much as impressive as the person with assorted accounting or secretarial jobs.  You DO have the skills and experience to manifest a lucrative career with that portfolio! 

Live as if time is infinite!

Some good articles on the topic:

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/402509_career06.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/portfolio_careers.html

http://www.careervision.org/About/Portfolio_Careers.htm

Meditation

Wednesday posts are going to be focused on Intuition and Mindfulness.

Meditation, where do you find the time, and how do you stay focused?  What's the best way to get started?

I'm still working on that.  I started with guided meditations, which help me stay focused.  I've never been particularly good at sticking with meditation, so I made a commitment that I would meditate every day.  I keep hearing it will change my life. 

I loaded up my IPOD with guided meditations, you can find them free all over the Internet.  Now I was stressing about having TOO many meditations!  Not a great start.  (Maybe I should be de-cluttering my IPOD)

You really have to stick with it, and keep on meditating, even if you feel like you spend more time thinking about all the laundry you should be doing.  My mind runs at 100 MPH most of my waking hours, I really want to learn how to turn it off on occasion!  It does get better and better as you practice.  I'm finding now, a couple of months into this, that I am once again becoming more distracted, so I'm working on that.  It's also important to be wearing loose comfortable clothing, something too tight can distract you as well.

It's so important to really isolate yourself when you start to meditate.  You need to really shut out the external and internal distractions as best you can.  Not an easy thing to do, unless you live alone, with no pets.  My initial goal was to try to meditate first thing in the morning, and last thing before I go to sleep. That almost never happens.  I already get up before 6AM every morning, and unless I literally don't get out of bed before I meditate, something grabs my attention first.  I have to tiptoe into the bathroom and hope the puppy doesn't hear me!  Not likely.  On weekend mornings I get up, take care of the dog, get myself a cup of tea, and head back to my room or out to my deck to meditate.  Weekdays not so much, kids are getting ready for the day and always need something.  I love morning meditations, it's awesome to start your day with a clear mind.  I'll keep you posted if I find a good way to get them in more often!

Evening meditations are wonderful, you're sleepy so it's a very different experience.  There are some nice guided meditations that are designed to be listened to when you're going to sleep. It's a fabulous way to wind down your day, and calm down your mind for a good nights rest.  If there's something in your life you're hoping to manifest or focus on, meditating on that topic before you go to sleep is said to tune your dreams and soul into those desires.  I find I dream so much more when I meditate before sleep!  I'm keeping a dream journal, that's a topic for another day.

I've even tried to meditate during the day!  On weekends that's do-able, on weekdays it's a riot.  I've tried to find a quiet lot, in my car, sitting in a pretty place, hoping no cops come by and knock on my window wondering if I'm alive!  There's the delicate balance of needing the car battery on so I can listen to the meditation, and now that it's June, so the AC can run.  I don't want to asphyxiate myself, so then there has to be open windows, you're starting to get the picture.  Not exactly the stress free environment I'm shooting for.

Progress, not perfection. 

Here's Deepak Chopra on learning to meditate.  He did this clip for the Dr. OZ show a few months ago.  I love love love Deepak Chopra, his books are wonderful, his voice is so full of peace.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-491/Meditation-Techniques-for-Beginners-Demonstrated-by-Deepak-Chopra-Video.html

Another Deepak guided meditation, a short meditation focusing on natural beauty, and finding your own inner beauty through mindfulness.






There are some different meditation techniques.  There are Mantra meditations, Chakra meditations, Heart Centered meditations, Trataka meditations, and more.  You really have to experiment and find what resonates with you.  I find different techniques work for me at different times, so play around.  Here's a good article describing different techniques.
http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/meditation/meditationtechniques.html

Meditating, for me, is starting to feel like a splurge on myself, fabulous!  Making time to meditate is now as wonderful as making time for pedicures.  I had no idea I would be so enthusiastic about it!  I love the little bit of tranquility it brings to my life.  With all of the decisions that I have to make on a daily basis, this tranquility is much appreciated.


Here are some resources to check out when you have some time:

For those of you that use ITunes, go the the Itunes store, search for meditations, and narrow down to podcasts.  They're free, and there are tons and tons of them.  Try and find the ones that feel right for you.

Colette Baron-Reid Intuition 101: Meditation and Stillness for Busy People

Meditation Center Meditation Center

Meditation and your health National Institutes of Health

Meditation Oasis Meditation Oasis

Live as if time is infinite!

Pilates

Growing up gracefully is about health and wellness, honoring your body so that you can live a healthy life for a very long time.    PLEASE ask your doctor before starting any new exercise programs.



"I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They'd be happier."

- Joseph Hubertus Pilates, in 1965, age 86



I've always been active, some years more active than others.  I've dabbled in Pilates on and off, I have the Windsor Pilates DVDs, and took occasional mat Pilates classes.

Pilates is totally different than any other workout I've ever done. It gets lumped in with yoga quite a bit, but I don't know why, they're very different from each other.  Here's an excerpt from the PilatesMethodAlliance website:

"Practiced faithfully, Pilates yields numerous benefits. Increased lung capacity and circulation through deep, healthy breathing is a primary focus. Strength and flexibility, particularly of the abdomen and back muscles, coordination-both muscular and mental, are key components in an effective Pilates program. Posture, balance, and core strength are all heartily increased. Bone density and joint health improve, and many experience positive body awareness for the first time. Pilates teaches balance and control of the body, and that capacity spills over into other areas of one's life."


In my late forties, this is exactly what I'm looking for.  I want to be strong, fit, and flexible.  Posture has always been a concern of mine, so that's a bonus.  At the time I signed up for the training, I was looking at Pilates as a way to cross train, something different from a circuit class or body pump class.  Besides, I loved the Pilates trainers bodies!  "The pixies behind the bamboo curtain".  They're tiny, with a lean and toned physique.  I tend to build muscle easily,  so stretching and lengthening those same muscles sounded like a good idea.  I had no idea what I was getting into.

When I started Pilates reformer training, I had been working out regularly for about a year and thought I was in pretty good shape. I had been taking occasional mat Pilates classes, but had never been on a Pilates reformer in my life. Wow did I underestimate the power of Pilates!  There is nothing like it.  It is HARD!  Here's the thing though.  It's hard for everyone, but at your own level.  Since it's so different from traditional exercise classes, your fitness level is very much unrelated to your ability to master Pilates exercises.  Sure, if you're fit, you'll pick it up more easily, and you may get get through beginner training more quickly.  I promise though, EVERYONE'S abdominal muscles will be crying the next day!  Pilates exercises find muscles in your midsection that you didn't even know existed.

OK so maybe that doesn't sound like a glowing recommendation for Pilates!  As they say, getting older ain't for sissies!  The thing that makes Pilates stand out for us Baby Boomers/Gen Xer's is that it will be as hard as you make it.  Most of the exercises are done laying down.  The exercises are non-weight bearing.  You can start out slow, and deepen the exercises as you build your strength.  The benefits of a regular Pilates regimen are seen quickly, and the benefit of a flexible spine as you are "Growing Up Gracefully" is immeasurable.

I highly recommend you look into Pilates facilities in your area.   I have the DVDs, and as I do them now, I see how incorrectly I was doing the exercises before I had the training.  I'm very lucky this didn't cause any problems.  Find a fun Pilates trainer, and if you're in my corner of the world, give Kim Rogers at Evolution Health and Fitness a call!  If you're hesitant to join a gym, you may not even have to do that, many times you can just enroll in the Pilates program.

Think you can't do Pilates because of a bad back?  Check this out:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/103286-pilates-back-pain/

Think you're too old to start Pilates?  Check this out:
http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesforeverybody/f/Seniors.htm

Think Pilates won't help your posture?  Watch this!





I'm hooked on Pilates.  My midsection is stronger today, at age 49, than ever before. My posture is improving, and so is my balance.  Even my waist is starting to make a reappearance!  Four kids later!  Incredible.

Live as if time is infinite!

Clearing your space

Clearing your space? Doesn't that mean cleaning your house?

Yes. And no.

I have four kids. Two grown men, out of the house and living on their own. One son is living home, moving towards his next life step. My daughter is 17, living home, a junior in high school. There is so much STUFF in my house! The years when all four kids lived home were really insane, nothing was ever organized, ever. When I did organize something, you can be sure someone needed something from that drawer or closet five minutes later, and left it a rumpled mess.

Now there are two at home, and there's still a lot of stuff. I really had no choice for many years but to live amidst the chaos, but now I'm done with that. I moved back into my house last Memorial Day weekend after what turned out to be an "experiment", living with my then significant other. I was so happy to just have my house back, I plopped everything in the downstairs, made the bed, and was home.

This was really a new life for me, starting over with less stuff, and less people in the house. I found that the more clean and organized my living space was, the more peace I felt. I never really had the chance to have an organized living space before, and I'm loving it! In addition, as I was clearing my head of the craziness of my life, I was really able to see the energy around me.  I was starting to see and feel the connection between my living space and my soul.

The biggest change was seen from my commitment to have less stuff. This is something you have to start slowly with, or you'll never do it. For instance, if you love fashion, don't start with your closet! You'll never get rid of anything. Start with the areas that you're less passionate about. I started with my kitchen cabinets. I do love my kitchen, as small as it is, but since it's so small, I really needed it to be more efficient. Did I really need the Pampered Chef apple/peeler/corer/slicer? Gone gone gone. I've had the thing for probably ten years, and still peel my apples with the old fashioned peeler. I was never going to let my future grandchildren use the grimy kids cups I was saving, and new ones cost a dollar. Gone gone gone. I have a long way to go in my kitchen to get it where I want it to be, but for now, it's got a lot less crap in it!

My bedroom. Again, not huge. The room is not huge, but the bed is, which of course is a challenge! I routinely have bruises on my legs that match up to some of the furniture in the room. I did a couple of things. The first thing I did was get an armoire. This can be a high priced item, but it doesn't have to be.   You can get one cheap (Ikea), and be sure to check out Freecycle or Craigslist. The one I bought has two drawers on the bottom, and a huge open area above them with doors that close and hide it all. There's also a shelf in the open area. I LOVE it. I keep my scarves hanging on the rod that was meant to hang clothes from, I have my pocketbooks all lined up on the shelf. I have makeup/jewelry/pens/perfume/ hairspray/lotions/keys/belts/brushes/
combs/scrunchies/journals/ essential oils/loose change/ nailpolish and a million other things in the open area. It's usually pretty organized, but even when it's not, I close the doors, and everything is hidden. I've even started taping fun pictures to the inside of the doors, like I'm a little kid. I highly recommend getting yourself an armoire!

A trip to the Container Store was helpful in clearing the space in my bedroom also. I bought a shoe tree for $40 that stands on the floor, spins, and holds 24 pairs of shoes. I also bought those under bed shoe storage bags. The shoes in season are on the shoe tree, the ones out of season are under the bed. Gone are the millions of assorted shoes all over the room, and I've freed up at least 10-20 minutes a day that used to be spent looking for the mate to a shoe! As for the commitment to have less stuff, yes, I had to downsize the shoe collection to keep the seasonal selection at 24 pairs! I took the TV out of the room, and moved all assorted hair appliances to the bathroom where they should have been in the first place.

Now, when you walk into my room, you see my beautiful bed with nightstands on either side, my armoire, Nana's cedar chest, and a triple dresser with very little on top of it. The energy of the room is so much calmer, and more peaceful than ever before. Think about the nights you trip over your shoes to get to the bed, and throw the crap that was on the bed onto the floor, crawling into a bed that you're remaking as you're climbing in. Clearing the space in my room has simply led to more restful sleeping.

Of course I "bought the books" and googled a bunch to get help with space clearing.  This is not true Feng Shui space clearing yet, more like a step towards that, I am following the fundamentals.  I'll blog more about Feng Shui at a later date, but for now, check out Denise Linn Space Clearing book. 

And yes. It is important that everything is clean. Not because your mother may stop by, but because YOU feel better when it is.

Live as if time is infinite!


Shoe tree http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/shoeStorage/floor?Ntt=shoe&productId=10025820

Denise Linn  Space Clearing http://www.amazon.com/dp/1561707503?tag=wwwdeniselinn-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1561707503&adid=02HZPQGQ27TQ15E0G3ZJ&

Armoire (wardrobe) http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90141859

Freecycle http://www.freecycle.org/

Craigslist http://www.craigslist.com/

Found the email I was talking about!

Actually I found a clever video re-enactment of it.  Check this out, is this your life?

The beginning!

Live as if time is infinite!

I've been spending a lot of time lately making transformations in my life.  I'm 49 years old, maybe it's that big birthday ahead of me that's motivating me?  If so, it's unconscious!

I feel like there are so many other people in situations similar to mine.  I'm in my fourties, I have spent time raising my kids, working assorted jobs, keeping the roof over our heads!  I was married, I was divorced.  I've been in other long term relationships.  I've taken so many classes and training sessions. I should have my PhD!  Instead, I never even finished up my bachelors degree.  Life was SO busy, there's an email chain that describes my life perfectly, I'll have to dig it up and insert it here.

Now my kids are grown/growing up and I have some more free time on my hands than I've had before.  It's so easy to get into the should/woulda/coulda frame of mind, but I will NOT.  I hear all over the place, "live each day as if it is your last", but I disagree.  I know that it's not meant to be discouraging, to me it's a downer.  Live each day as if time is infinite! I heard that phrase recently, and it changed my life. What if instead of thinking it was too late to do something, I lived as if I had all the time in the world?  Think about it! How many people do you know that think they're too old to do something?  How about not healthy enough?  Not "as young as they used to be"?  Then there's "People my age don't do that".  WHY??  I could so easily sit on my couch, get fat, eat ice cream, and say "well I'm pushing 50, who cares".  Trust me, I could.  I won't.  I WON'T!  And you shouldn't either.  

So what am I doing?

• I'm going to focus all of those classes I took, and finish up my degree.  Yes, I'm going back to college at age 49. 
• I'm spending more time meditating.  It's something I've always done, on and off, but never really comitted to.  I'm amazed at the difference it's making in my life!  I'm calmer all day long, and so much more focused.  Amazing.  Try it!
• I'm "cutting cords".  I'm taking back my maiden name, among other things, and it feels so great! 
• I'm really focusing on my relationship with my kids.  It's so easy to just parent by instinct, and I guess I'm still doing that to some degree.  I'm trying to really focus and help them focus on whats best for them, individually.  It's time to enjoy them more!
• I'm improving my enviornment.  I'm decluttering, rearranging, decorating, organizing, making everything pretty!  I'm doing this in my home, in my office, and in my car!  It feels great.
• I'm staying fit.  This isn't really something new to me, but now that I have time to exercise more, I'm loving it!  Lots of spin classes and Pilates sessions for me.
• I'm honoring myself.  All day long.  I try to remember to ask myself if what I'm doing is honoring myself.  I've changed my mind on what I was planning to do/eat/wear/say many times.  For example:  Sitting on the couch bundled up under blankets on a rainy day watching a movie is honoring myself, sitting on the couch every night after dinner watching TV is not.  For me.
• I'm going to journal my days.  I started this blog to have a place to share all of the mountains of research I'm doing!  I hope to accumulate info from my journals and share the details as blogs.
• Oh and I have a full time job and a part time consulting business!

The craziest thing about all of this?  I have MORE time than I ever had before, even with a list like this!  I'm so amazed at how simpler life is when I stop obsessing over everything.  When I focus on what's best for ME.

SO.  Thats quite a lot for today!  I'm hoping to find 5 natural categories, and each day blog about that category.  This is a work in progress, but I have to start somewhere, so here goes!

Live as if time is infinite!