Health and Lifestyle
Navigating the Path You’re On
Some people are so good at navigating the path they are on. They seem to know what roadblocks are ahead of them or what to expect along the way. An example I’ll share is about a family based business that was well structured and set up during the 2nd World War. Sales rallied because of government contracts at that time and their excellent President rallied his workers with him. He continued to know who his target audience was and to build a healthy clientele for the next twenty years. Eventually the man sold his business to a partner and then sold off property that was owned for storage over the years following. He also planned well for his family and sought a more relaxed lifestyle for himself and his wife. He lived well and enjoyed reading in his final years.
Finding a new path and purpose!
It dawned on me that this is not the case for so many people. Layoffs, job changes, health challenges and family disruptions cause many people to set up franchises or seek other lines of work. Their path, although once thoughtfully set into play, just seem to tumble and fall apart. Every day is a search and rescue existence to make money, pay bills, and stay well. How does one earn money? How does one pay for medical issues? Is one able to drive or access food, shelter, and other people with ease?
Taking time to plan is good. It can be a series of steps set into place. Perhaps putting aside a small amount of money monthly. It may include adding to ones education or skill set. It may mean relocating to a smaller home, eliminating costs, or reversing plans that just don’t add up for a long term resolution. Maybe it is getting involved with other people and building new relationships. Design the path you want to pursue and then it will begin to develop naturally.
In talking to a wealth management person I learned that many people are not able to go to the next level of life because they have failed to plan beyond the present. If it is one thing I have learned from being a psychotherapist, it is that we need to have a purpose. That purpose may change as we age. We may devote more time to new hobby, travel the world, or volunteer teaching a second language. It may mean moving to a new area to be in touch with family so one can be in a more metropolitan area. Or even moving to a smaller country setting and starting a garden.
One thing to keep in mind in pursuing changes is to think things out well. What is the long term focus for making the changes. Is it to save money? Is it to be with more people you love? Is it to have a place to run your new business or hobby?
So today’s simple exercise is to: #1. Get outside your comfort zone. Make new friends and connect with older ones. Start with just one. #2. Decide on something you want to do and seek information on doing it. #3. Listen to those around you and see how you might benefit from their experience.
Have a great day and take that one step forward, it may put you on the escalator of success!
Linda is an Educator, Counselor, and Catalyst that will help you inspire you to live your life the best possible.
3 Ways to Spell Contentment
I watch Rosy as she navigates through the day showing me there is a way to find contentment. She has slowed a bit, but just long enough to observe what I am doing before she charges up the stairs behind me. She waits to see if I am running back down them again or staying there. She is the clue to the first way to spell contentment. #1. Know what it is you really want to accomplish before expending the energy to do so!
Watching efficient and productive people shows us the second way to find contentment. It is simple. People who accomplish a lot of work have learned how to prioritize and do it well. They perform one task at a time and finish it. Then they sit back for the moment to appraise the situation and salute themselves for a job well done.
Focusing
The third way to find contentment is to stay active and show up to the events that mean a lot to you. These may be personal or business related. Contentment comes from appreciating the good things in life. Gratitude and a spirit of recognizing how others have touched your life is by taking an active part in their activities. It is recognizing how others have succeeded. We need to stay joy-filled and happy with the accomplishments of those around us.
The next time you feel frustrated or discontent with with yourself, ask “why am I dissatisfied?” Perhaps it is a restless feeling for something you have yet to achieve. Perhaps it is because you have not reached out to those around you. Do you need a break from your responsibilities? Maybe it is time to sit back and watch like Rosy often does to just reevaluate if it is worth the effort to run up those stairs again!
Linda is a Counselor, Educator, and Catalyst. She helps people navigate through the tough times and achieve their dreams. This summer she is offering one-on-one tutoring for students. She’ll help them learn to organize and focus. In the Fall, when it is time to return to school, they will hopefully be more engaged having practiced a few basic skills.
Consulting with A Friend?
Consulting with a friend is always a good idea. It gives us a quick perspective that isn’t necessarily our own. It lends us support and can be a moral support when we can confer or talk with someone we trust.
On a deeper level, many of us are believers in a higher power. We talk and pray with God and feel secure in that relationship. When we are threatened or confused, we seek out help from people and professionals around us. We feel supported all the time and understand that our lives have a design and plan that can’t be seen for now.
Here we have a young adult who is conferring with her trusted friend, Zoey. Our pets have a way of understanding that people do not offer. They give us reassurance, but not necessarily advice. Sometimes we already have knowledge, but lack the confidence. Our loyal companions fill the voids in our lives. Zoey can’t make a decision for her, but he is able to be a reassurance and sparks a moment of levity during an UNO game. Then again, maybe they have a secret formula to winning, who knows?
Consulting with someone who keeps things private!
God has given us people and a way of understanding. That is why we gather together to celebrate our Birthdays, Graduations, Anniversaries, and other significant religious holidays. We share one another’s joys and walk with one another during times of sorrow. We witness for each other the way to emerge through challenges. Being alone can become a dangerous habit. We are meant to team up and be in community.
United in service and with ideas helps everyone involved. Together we are stronger and able to help one another. It helps to have someone at the other end of a seesaw to fully enjoy being on the playground. The same holds true in balancing our lives. We enjoy the company of a spouse, the time in sports with our children, and the playing time with our pets. It’s the time sitting with a friend and enjoying lemonade that makes a hot summer day more pleasant and relaxing.
As the years pass, it is the siblings that are able to laugh and share funny childhood stories about mom and dad. It is the cousins laughing about falling out of the tree house or the hide-and-seek games of youth. So remember that consulting with a friend, a counselor, or a family member will restore joy. It can bring resilience to an ailing person. Loneliness is monster that robs us of emotional support, mental energy, and fun.
Enjoy your weekend. Pick up the phone and call someone who is alone. Reach out and wave to a neighbor as you pass bye. Smile at the young mom struggling with small children as a sign of encouragement.
The Wellness Warrior at Work
Who is the wellness warrior? Why of course, I am thinking about our minds and how we can be the best version of ourselves. Thinking things through and making the minute-by-minute decisions makes us all wellness warriors!
Today is a bright day filled with hope that Spring in coming. It has come in with a vengeance. Cold weather, lower than normal temperatures, and snow have hit us hard. Along with that today’s sunshine gives us hope of warmer days ahead. Our plants want to grow and we are ready to see them sprout.
Does this Wellness Warrior Penguin help?
As I walked outside with Rosy today, I noticed how carefully she proceeded out the door. Beyond the door was a sheet of ice that could take anyone of us down to their knees. She has learned that dashing outside can be dangerous. She has slipped too. So as she walked into the snow covered grassy area, I retreated to get the salt container. I sprinkled the salt pellets on the walkway. I hope it is the last time we need it this year. The forecasters yesterday evening gave us hope for sunnier days this next week. I couldn’t be more grateful for their predictions.
Then when I got to work, I encountered the same glassy surface as I stepped outside of the car. Once again, I got into the suite and exited with salt for the area where I park and sprinkled a coating around the car doors. So what does this have to do with being a wellness warrior?
Mentally we are making conscious and unconscious decisions all day. We wake up and all have our ways of getting out of bed and moving ahead. For people like Mel Robbins, she uses her 5 Second Rule to navigate forward. 5,4,3,2,1, and move! For me, I stretch and wake up with a prayer I was taught by a High School Religion teacher, Dr. Finer.
We decide to bathe, answer the doorbell, or put on the coffee pot. We may toss on old clothes to take the dog outside, or begin waking up the kids for school. Our schedules, routines, and age all contribute to the decisions and timing we decide upon each and every day. For me, putting down salt for a spur of the moment decision based on being practical and safe. For you, it might be to call a dentist, because you’ve been putting it off. So what is it you need to do today?
I like to think that being well means taking small actions on a continual basis. We follow our instincts and training to call our family members and stay connected to essential people. Wellness and keeping focused on what we are doing is a series of small ongoing choices. Choices we make all day from the moment we pop out of bed.
Today be you own wellness warrior and think about your moment-to-moment decisions. Are you reaching for a jacket or running out the door without a coat? Are you having something warm like coffee, but then having a good breakfast following? Are you watching the drivers around you or on your cell phone? Guess it is time to decide.
Clearing the Cobwebs Away
Clearing the Cobwebs is not only a functional activity to do physically, but it is also advantageous psychologically. Moving and actively doing physical actions helps us to think more clearly. We manifest and find clarity. We understand ourselves better. Things are more apparent. Feelings, ideas, and impulses are sorted out.
So what triggered this blog? Well I came into the office with my list of things to accomplish. Many items needed my attention. In addition to seeing clients on a regular basis, I try to offer concrete ideas and help to those who read my blogs and work with me as a coach online. I noticed a cobweb in the corner of a window and set out to remove it.
It is always good to work with a friend!
Within a few minutes I had linked up with Mr. Clean, a bucket, mop, and an hour of my time to tackle Spring Cleaning! I washed the tops of all the doors and frames, the floorboards, floors, and window frames. Soon the floors were washed and vacuumed. I even removed the books from the bookcase and cleaned underneath and around it. It felt good to discover after an hour of intense work, that the whole office was shining and smelled so clean.
When I had finished, I went to the computer to work on Quickbooks, return E-Mails, and make a few contacts. I felt as refreshed and ready as the office was now even more ready to be receive guests here. I was able to assist others with their issues. Clarity and a clean perspective helps everyone. Clearing out space for new thoughts begins with a clean space, an empty drawer, or a blank wall. It gives one space to create something new.
With the recent snowstorms and cloudy weather, I was feeling unproductive and focusing on one thing at a time was difficult. Now I displaced the weather, with being in control and moving ahead with the importance of serving other people and preparing things around me. You can too. It doesn’t mean you have to do “Spring Cleaning”, to find vision, but it means that there are many different ways for you to advance.
Maybe it is physically getting up from your desk and taking a walk to the mailbox. Or perhaps it is setting up an impromptu meeting with a person you need to connect with today. Moving and conquering tasks can take on many forms; be creative and you’ll find what works best for you. Often the office is cleaned by a service, but today was different. I felt compelled to do it myself and to do it well. I was clearing the way to achieve more.
A long handled mop became my friend for this task!
Take that one step forward, it can put you on the escalator of success. Maybe it is literally a stair master machine to give you vision upward. Or pulling out that mop and pail that does the trick to a cleaner mind. Find what works for you and be creative in what you chose to do. Not everyone fits into a simple formula. You are unique and special. Let your light shine. I know now that the prism in the front window can shine as well.
Linda is has a background in Education, Psychotherapy and is a Organizational Coach that helps Business Owners, Community Leaders, and everyone excel and move ahead. Don’t stay depressed, anxious, or alone. Contact her now, you’ll be glad you did!
Bring Color to Your Life
Bring color to your life. It can be a fun adventure and very intentional. Our thoughts dictate our behaviors and actions. Do you know a successful person who seems to deal well with their commitments? Do they have a balanced lifestyle and enjoy everything they do? Characteristically, it is a person with a healthy frame of mind, time for family, business, and community.
Do you want to be that person, who is always happy and smiling? They wear color to everything they do. If you are not this person, let’s start today by bringing your attention to it.
Quite often we see people who appear so well and later learn that they are not free of pain or sorrow. In fact, they seem to turn every crisis or adverse moment into a big win. These outstanding individuals are usually empathetic and willing to be the first to help others. They are insightful and juggle commitments well. They also have learned to throw away self-limiting beliefs. They stay connected with others who are positive and clear thinking.
Juliet Linley, a Vatican correspondent in Rome, balances responsibilities in the newsroom with her family life. She shared in a recent EWTN news interview that she rides her bike to and from work. It is the quickest way for her to get around and gives her time outdoors, as well as, exercise. As a working mother, this Journalist has found a way to incorporate self-care with a busy lifestyle. Like so many people, Juliet has a sparkling attitude and personality. Her confidence comes through her voice.
It doesn’t matter who we are or where we live, we all try to balance our businesses, exercise, family needs, and health. It is nice when we can get in our exercise in a natural way like Juliet does. Can you walk to your destination? How can you incorporate fun and healthy things into your life? Can you eat with friends more often to build relationships in a comfortable and meaningful manner?
Today I had an appointment for an Condo Association Meeting. The location is about 3 blocks away. The day is bright, not windy, and yet pleasantly cool. I decided I needed to walk the few blocks, so with my gym shoes on and a medium weight coat I headed outside. Not even a block away, I thought about how out of shape I was from not walking on a regular basis. On the way back an hour or so later, I was jubilant feeling. The walk was just what I needed. I will be engaging once again in using my feet instead of my car to navigate around. The weather is changing in my favor and today was a good reminder.
Color your options!
Showing up to commitments, staying well and running businesses call us to find balance with our family too. There are times to pray, attend sporting events, and kids recitals. Walking, cycling, boating and reading together allow us to learn about one another. It calls us to staying well and keeping color (JOY) into life.
So let’s look at how we might become people marked by colorful moments! Here are a tips that can help you be happier and more fulfilled.
- Staying prioritized means planning well and following through with the plans you’ve made. Weigh you priorities.
- Focusing on one thing at a time helps us to do them well. Being mindful of our relationships call us to be connected to one person at a time and allowing for eye-to-eye contact.
- Make time for recreation and playing with friends is not only fun, but necessary for us to physically stay well.
- Completing the projects make us feel confident and satisfied. Closure helps propel us forward.
- Create systems to stay on task, organized, and efficient. Systems can also help others substitute for us when we are unable to perform tasks.
- Habits set into place are easy to perform. Create menus and grocery shopping on the same day and time. Rituals give us form and are functional.
- Learning to delegate to others what we aren’t good at doing helps us, as well as, providing business for our community. It allows us time to do what we’re good at doing.
- Write things down. Particularly your short and long terms goals. Be as specific as possible.
- Become accountable to someone who will guide and hold you to your intentions or the standards you want.
Wise People Who Can Help Us
Wise people who study and practice their arts can help us. I have been interested in healthy living for years. When my children were little, I’d bake my own rolls, make desserts from scratch, and avoid fast foods with high calorie counts. I’d fill our refrigerator with vegetables from our garden. I’d can and preserve foods on a regular basis. I’d share them with our parents and extended family. Over the years, I fell out of being as consistent with monitoring our diets. It has become my goal to stay “wise” and be consistent again.
Our children have grown and they have their own families. Studies and how to care for ourselves continues to change. So this article is to share ways you can benefit by science. So much is available for us on U-Tube. The Internet allows us to get recipes, supplements, and up-to-date ideas on dietary control.
As we age, so many of our needs change. Our bodies go through hormonal changes. Our weight often changes, and shifts happen. We are called to exercise in ways that fit each of us. The areas we live in often dictate our exercise regiments.
Herbs
Check out Amy at AmyHoogervorst.com
Amy is an Integrative Health Coach, writer, and creative entrepreneur. She offers a variety of insights that will encourage you to be your healthiest. An exercise guru and teacher, she will make your life easier. She is a wife and mother, and has aging parents. As a result, she works with people of all ages across the board and offers wonderful insights. She continues to be involved in her community. Check her out and enjoy her insights.
Today we have many sites on U tube like Dr. Eric Berg, DC. at drberg.com
Apples a day keep the doctor away!
Dr Berg has an old fashioned blackboard in his U tube series and teaches us simple principles. He is interesting and encouraging. Often he shares things he has learned by making simple mistakes in his own life along the line. His honesty is refreshing. He is big on Keto and Intermittent Fasting. Check out his site and find takeaways that might fit your lifestyle.
Dr Mercola’s Natural Healthy News at drmercola.com
Although his site sells merchandise, he offers worthwhile articles that benefits our health. He provides information to help us understand our health issues. These include workouts and eating insights for us. His explanations are straight forward. Dr. Mercola has been around for many years and so there is a wide variety of this videos around.
As the summer months approach us, make use of the many fresh farm stands and foods that will be available to us. In McHenry, IL. check out the Classy Roost Garden Market this spring and summer for plantings and a fun experience. Owned by Edie Landwehr, The Classy Roost Garden Market on Ridge Road will be a great resource for you.
Leadership Can Be Hard
Leadership can be hard! I was reading an article in *Scientific American Mind about a student from Brown University who in 1984 was studying in Israel. He and two friends were walking while on a camping trip and he was ahead of them. Suddenly he was minus a foot! He stepped on a land mine. Leadership can be hard and in this case, it really was painful! It takes stamina and a great mindset to move forward when accidents happen. Or when one loses money on a business idea it can be difficult to bounce back.
A few thoughts came to me as I read this article. The first was that stepping out ahead of the others is a daring adventure. Leaders put themselves in a position of being risk takers. Secondly, when confronted with adversity, people are forced to be resilient and push themselves to move forward, even if they think they cannot. Thirdly, good leadership is always available to find through referrals and mentors.
If you are an active business owner, you are often we are watching high achievers in business. High achievers who risk putting their own reputation and safety out there for others to follow. And we do follow them, because we don’t want to reinvent the wheel. We see how someone has accomplished what we are striving to do and we try to duplicate the format. We look at the system that has propelled them forward and we go to them for success.
Unfortunately, we don’t see all the obstacles they’ve endured. When I watch the Olympics, one of the best parts of it for me is hearing the stories of how the athletes have come to succeed. Quite often they have endured many injuries, personal set backs, or losses. It is great to hear their interviews. Most of the time they take responsibility for the risks they take and move ahead. They do not give up. They get up over and over again.
I am watching a grandson now who is an excellent soccer player and wrestler. In a tournament game, he injured his ACL, LCL, and Meniscus. These are major injuries that needed surgery. He presented to a surgery center that works with a professional team in Chicago to have the repairs. He will be undergoing 8 months plus of therapy to get back into the sport of soccer that he loves. The injury has temporarily changed his pathway to going into college sports for the next year. It has not deterred him, but strengthened his resolve to move forward.
Injuries can turn our plans into temporary detours.
As the author of Erasing Adversity, I say that adversity can make us stronger. It isn’t the experience of success or failure that makes us; it is what we take from the experience that gives us personality and value. Experience alone can sour people, but keeping a healthy mindset and determinations to reach a goal is the secret.
It amazes me how well some people are able to overcome problems. As a counselor and educator I’ve learned not only through my own experiences, but vicariously from other people. The ability to focus on one thing at a time helps. We need to keep things simple. The next time you are feeling stuck or frustrated, take a simple task and complete it. Maybe it’s cleaning out the dishwasher or sweeping the garage floor. Do it and finish the project. A simple task completed well will help you break the cycle of inaction. Create your own healthy system made our of habits to conquer a problem head on!
Another thing that one can do to be successful is to engage with others. Social isolation is unhealthy. Although not everyone is Mr. or Mrs. Congeniality, having purposeful tasks and relationships compel us to be better. We tend to dress the part, take responsibility and smile more when things are going well, but good leadership is open, humble, and honest. We learn to trust people and socialize. In doing so we contribute to the lives of other people; we volunteer; we share and give away our talents.
*Special Collectors Edition Scientific American Mind Spring 2018
Stretch as YOU age!
Aging gives us opportunities to stretch. Aging is not all good, nor bad. Whether you are 18, 45, or 62, try something new. Participating in something new can be great fun!
Get your passion in line with changing times. Stretch with the opportunities that age provides.
Women often find that as their children grow, their opportunities do too. Opportunities to try new things open up. A spectrum of interests seem to open up. Line up meetings with local entrepreneurs and people you admire. Connect with old friends and make new ones on social media or at church.
Our children, who we spent years encouraging, come around as inspirational leaders for us. Now is the time to open the shutters to the window of adventure. Perhaps a career in nursing, journalism, real estate, or surfacing a past interest pushes one out of the homemaker role. Learn along with your kids, friends, spouse, or neighbors to try new things.
Keep involved with your own generation, but also other generations. My mother-in-law lived a long healthy life. I attributed it to her gratitude and her mingling with neighbors of all ages. She deemed herself as the official welcome wagon lady who’d show up with a homemade treat and her phone number. She’d go to lunch with others and stay connected. She was always writing people notes and sending out birthday cards or cards of congratulations.
Let the advantages of time allow you to travel, read, and pursue hobbies. Connect with you local school boards, get involved in community businesses, or play bridge. Visit the large cities near where you live. So often the highlights in our lives are not far away.
Find your passions or create new interests that allow you to connect with other people. Trying something new can put you on the escalator of success!
Beautiful
What do you define as beautiful? Beautiful means different things to each of us. Michael Ryan is a biologist who wrote A Taste for the Beautiful. He tells us that our perceptions are all different as to what is seen as attractive. He is a scientist who talks about how animals are attracted to one another, sex, and foods.
Since so many studies carry over from animals; we can learn what is seductive and beautiful by studying them. Is it the smell or aromas that are attractive? Is it the color, the flamboyant mannerisms that call us to connect? Is it the behaviors or the way we sound to each other?
If we apply some of these ideas learned from the animal world to people, we can learn what we prefer and why. Even the way a person moves or dances might make one stand up and pay attention.
I have always loved the smell of freshly washed cotton; the cleanliness of ironed cotton material. Perhaps that extends to my love of fabrics, sewing, and linens. Its no wonder that one of the first things I buy, create, and give away are blankets, doilies, and towels. I look for them when babies are born, when I want comfort, or when I wish to console someone else.
When it comes to beautiful, natural things are beautiful. Wild flowers randomly growing in a field lend beauty to the earth and everyone who can see them. The sounds of train whistles on a cool summer night along with crickets chirping. The giggling of a baby with all its innocence lifts the corners of our mouth into smiles.
To some people I am beautiful!
As the season’s change and the windows slide open we’ll be hearing lawn mowers starting up and music from the neighbors yards. Soon the kids will be zooming down the streets with bicycles and skateboards. These are all beautiful life giving sounds and actions that call us to interact!
Circle yourself with what brings you beauty. Decorate your work space, your car, and your home with beautiful things, photos of those you love, and spend time with your favorite people. Take one step forward onto the escalator of success.