Month: December 2013

December 5, 2013

Consciously living healthy

Over the past few years I’ve been gravitating toward subjects related to health and wellness.  I particularly had an interest in holistic medicine, meditation, yoga, raw food diets, healthy living, self healing, and consciousness; just to name a few.  Around the time of my quarter life crisis, I realized that I was quickly approaching my 30s.  So, I went on a frenzy to gather any and all information that would help me age gracefully.  Living in a society where women are constantly judged on their appearance and pressured to stay looking young by any means, made my paranoia, with aging, grow exponentially.  I wanted to target specific areas that I was having trouble with.

For the past 5 years I’ve been trying to live healthy, but failed to maintain that lifestyle.  Today, I have made a conscious decision.  I am going to live a healthier life by consciously changing my habits and lifestyle.  This is a bold statement considering I have a lot of bad habits that, some would say, are hypocritical of living a healthy lifestyle.  I binge eat and prefer junk over healthy food, I drink and smoke, and finally I don’t get proper sleep or exercise.  But, if I aspire to accomplish this conscious choice, I have to declare my intention and follow through with the appropriate actions.

The first step to consciously living healthier is to acknowledge the flaws.  I know personally, I lack a proper diet and don’t exercise regularly.  I have wrinkles, grey hair, hair and bone density loss because of stress and my constant binge eating, drinking and smoking and lack of sleep and proper exercise.

Becoming aware of the problem will force you to do something about it.  The very fact that you are consciously aware of your problem creates a moral obligation to change yourself.  Once you’ve acknowledged the flaws honestly, you then have to choose what to do and how you can change those flaws.  I personally gathered information on raw food diets in an attempt to eat healthier.  I researched specific at home workout routines targeting my weak areas to avoid paying costly membership fees at the gym.  I then researched holistic and natural remedies  to help improve my overall wellness without it costing an arm and a leg and resulting in evasive surgery.

The next thing is to stay true to yourself and try what works for you.  We’re constantly surrounded by people on Facebook or Instagram taking millions of pictures of their weight loss or success.  It’s easy to get mixed up in the hype of doing what every body else does.  So, you have to consciously choose who to follow as your role model.  Choose someone with similar features or body type as you, or someone who dealt with similar bad habits as you and overcame them.  Follow those who are striving for similar goals as you.  By doing this you can learn their techniques and apply it to yourself the best way that suits and helps you achieve results.  Remember, you were born original don’t die a copy.  Don’t copy others, make up your own rules by learning from others while making it work for you.  By applying these techniques you finally get to address the problem, face it, come up with a plan to fix it and then follow through with actions that ultimately help change it.

Here is a list of things I am consciously choosing to work on in my life:

  • Eating healthier – focus on raw food diets, avoid foods that contain GMO’s, avoid junk food and consciously choose a healthier option by making my own smoothies and meals
  • Exercising regularly – work out 3 times a week and incorporate one activity such as yoga, pilates, kick boxing, or etc. in addition to working out
  • Cutting out my bad habits – stop drinking alcohol, only on rare occasions, cut out smoking, only on weekends never during the week, eat smaller portions more times throughout the day to avoid binge eating at night
  • Using natural remedies to improve my health – use red palm oil for hair loss and reducing greys, ginger to improve blood flow and increase hair growth, add silica, cinnamon, lemon and honey in tea and other foods to help build my immune system, use almond and castor oil for my dry skin and to naturally reduce wrinkles, do facial yoga and try acupuncture to improve blood flow to the face for a natural facelift, incorporate meditation in my daily life to naturally reduce stress without resorting to western medicine (ie. pills)

Time to reflect:

Have you consciously chosen to do something?  Maybe you too are trying to live a healthier life.  Are you on a budget and looking to not spend a ton of money to change?  Are you looking to cut out some of your bad habits or maybe incorporate new good habits?  Whatever you wish to achieve, once you’ve chosen to consciously do something, take the time to reflect on what that something is.  Be honest with yourself and stay true to who you are.  Focus on the areas you are concerned with and research your options.  Look for role models with similar goals as you so you don’t get caught up in the hype of achieving results not intended for you.  Once you’ve consciously chosen to do what you want, following through with the appropriate actions to achieve your results becomes very easy.  Do you have any tips for living a healthier lifestyle?  If you do, please share!

mindbodysoul

“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear”. ~ Buddha

December 4, 2013

Stuck

Sometimes you can do all the right things and take all the necessary steps to prepare for success but, for some unknown reason you get stuck.  You get stuck in a position where you can’t grow, can’t move forward, you have no alternate plan, or you just can’t seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Being stuck is the universes way of telling you to slow down and to help reinforce positivity.  It is a moment in time where the universe conspires to help you analyze the situation forcefully through a different set of eyes.  Being stuck forces you to make choices that you may have lagged on and procrastinated.  This is the universes way of forcing you to ask yourself certain questions you normally avoid.

For example:

You may plateau after losing 50 pounds.  You’ve been doing everything right, nothing has changed, you have been doing the same routine which helped you lose the first 50 pounds.  This is a time when the universe is telling you to look at your situation and see why this is happening.  It also reinforces how far you have come and forces you to ask yourself, “What can I do differently than before to lose the remaining 50 pounds”?

Or take myself for instance, I was stuck for quite some time.  I tried many things in the past that really led to nowhere.  Or so it would seem.  I would learn new skills and then get stuck and not know how to proceed and apply those skills in my business or day to day life.  I would get into a cyclical habit of not knowing how to use those skills to make money or improve my life drastically.

The reason why I kept getting stuck was because I wasn’t heeding the directions of the universe.  The universe was forcing me to ask myself questions that I normally avoided.  I was forced to ask myself, “what went wrong?”, “what did I do differently this time?”, “did I even do anything differently this time?”, “how can I use this as a learning experience?”, “why do I keep getting stuck, do I keep repeating the same mistakes?”, “what can I avoid next time?”, and etc.  After finally asking myself the right questions I was able to let go of what I was really stuck on, the idea of being stuck.

Moreover, I learned that these moments of being stuck should be used as personal checkpoints to reinforce how far you have already come versus focusing on being stuck and not knowing where to go.  Human nature is to focus on the problem rather than the solution.  You feel bad because you don’t know the next step.  This is supposed to be a time to reinforce positivity.  You need to focus on how far you have come along and acknowledge your collective accomplishments to date.  Being stuck should be a time to reinforce how grateful you are for all that you have learned and for all that you know.  Once you acknowledge and are grateful the universe will be able to guide you and teach you how to get over being stuck.

Time to reflect:

When you feel stuck, take some time and allow the universe to guide you.  Ask yourself the questions you’ve been avoiding or that are tough, and be honest.  Slow down and analyze the situation using a different set of eyes.  Then allow yourself to acknowledge all your accomplishments to date.  Do not focus your attention on why you are stuck and where you still need to go.  Then use that time to reinforce how great you are and appreciate what you already know and how far you have come.

mindbodysoul

“Being stuck is a position few of us like. We want something new but cannot let go of the old – old ideas, beliefs, habits, even thoughts. We are out of contact with our own genius. Sometimes we know we are stuck; sometimes we don’t. In both cases we have to DO something.” ~ Rush Limbaugh 

December 3, 2013

Handling rejection

Rejection is one of the most difficult things to get over.  Trust me, I am all too familiar with the concept of rejection. I’ve experienced rejection through multiple areas of my life, such as personal, relationships, career, and education.

How you handle yourself during times of rejection really depicts your character.  For most of my life, I had a very self defeating attitude and handled rejection very poorly.  I experienced pain, humiliation, sadness, anger, guilt, hate, unfairness and a plethora of emotions.  My character was self-delusional.  I constantly focused on the negative emotions and rarely took the time to analyze the positive outcomes because of the rejections.

After 20 something years and having gone through a series of events that resulted in rejection, I finally understand the value of being rejected.  All my life I used to think being rejected was the worst thing possible.  Having someone tell you you’re not good enough, qualified enough, there is no chemistry, or your marks aren’t high enough, is not a good feeling, I get it.  But, rejection is necessary in order to grow.

Rejection is the catalyst one needs to improve in areas of life that requires more attention.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that if someone rejects you in a relationship because you’re not attractive enough or something superficial, you should go out and change your appearance.  That’s just stupid.  But, what I am saying is, that particular rejection might mean you have to address a deeper issue such as self love, acceptance and the realization that you deserve to be with someone who loves you for who you are.   Being rejected for a job that you honestly felt you were perfect for, might actually mean there is something even greater out there for you.  Or by not getting that date with the hottie you work with, might actually save your job or you may meet your potential soulmate.  By looking at the positive aspect of the rejection you are taking control of your emotions during that situation.  By controlling your emotions and consciously looking for the good out of the rejection, you allow yourself to connect with your inner being.  Your inner being then guides you with the right tools to help you improve and move past the rejection.  You then learn to consciously focus on feeling good because of the rejection instead of feeling bad.

Handling rejection is a common problem for everyone.  Even the richest, most attractive, or most influential people have to deal with rejection.  But, everyone handles rejection differently.  So, here are a few tips to help you during those tough times.  If you apply these tips you too can slowly teach yourself to overcome rejection and actually grow from it.

How to handle rejection:

  1. Acknowledge how you feel – if you feel bad, sad, angry, frustrated, or etc., acknowledge it, tell someone how you feel, talk out loud and let the universe know exactly what you’re feeling
  2. Acknowledge that everyone deals with rejection – you are not alone, we all face rejection at one point in our lives, even the richest, most attractive or most powerful people in the world
  3. Allow yourself to feel bad initially – if you’re feeling hurt allow yourself some time to grieve, we are all humans after all, and the best remedy is sometimes to cry it out
  4. Don’t take rejection personally – you have to consciously remember that it is not YOU the individual that is lacking, it is the circumstances of the events that you cannot control
  5. Respect the rejector and wish them well – remember that spite and holding a grudge doesn’t affect anyone else but you, by respecting the rejectors and wishing them well, you take back the control on your emotions and you release the hold of pain they momentarily have on you because of the rejections
  6. Review the outcome – look at the rejection from all angles, sure you may not have gotten the job and you won’t be able to buy that new car, but maybe you will find a job better suited for you, that allows you to follow your dreams instead of settling at any job that isn’t fulfilling just to accomplish your temporary goal of purchasing a new car
  7. Keep trying – don’t give up after being rejected, life and the show must go on, if Edison stopped after his first failed invention he may never have invented the lightbulb
  8. Don’t have false hope – it’s always good to hope for a positive outcome or hope that you get another chance, but there is a difference in hoping for that versus having false hope that the rejector will change his/her mind, this is pointless as it hinders your personal growth and you relish in a negative environment and consciously give away your control
  9. Distract yourself and do what makes you happy – make time to go out and shop, play sports, exercise or take a trip with your friends, do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better after being rejected, without resorting to anything irrational, dangerous, or negative (ie. do not take prescription medication to deal with depression)
  10. Focus on the next task at hand – once you’ve been rejected and you’ve taken the time to heal, focus on the next goal, maybe apply to another job or consider updating your skills with a new course, the new goal or task will help you realize you have the power to control your emotions and that specific events/rejections do not define you, you have the power to move on

mindbodysoul

“A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success.” ~ Bo Bennett 

December 2, 2013

Prayer vs. Meditation

Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with a deity, an object of worship, or a spiritual entity through deliberate communication. (Wikipedia)

Versus

Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or as an end in itself. (Wikipedia)

Growing up I was taught about prayer but, within the last few years, I was introduced to the subject of meditation.  Ignorance made me believe that meditation was not for me, it was more for monks, Hindus or atheists trying to connect with a higher power of some kind.  To be honest I was ignorant on a lot of subjects.  Roughly 5 years ago, as I battled with my personal demons I turned to religion to answer some hard questions.  While pursuing a curiosity and passion in religion I soon realized that the religion I grew up believing in didn’t have all the answers I was looking for.  I then studied other religions to try and connect all the missing pieces and gather more insight.  After studying for a few years I realized that every religion had similar core beliefs and guidelines but the biggest similarity was the subject of prayer.

I never understood the importance or purpose of prayer until the day I actually needed to pray.  I remember the first time I ever prayed as a conscious adult.  The experience was unbelievable.  It was unworldly.  It was as if I had transported out of my body and connected with a higher entity and I could actually FEEL what I was thinking and saying.  I had shivers and tingles running through my body as I cried and prayed about my sorrows, regrets, pain, failures, wishes, dreams and all the things I was grateful for, such as my family.  This feeling was something I never experienced in my entire life.  It was exhilarating, it was better than experiencing an orgasm.  I know, it sounds weird and possibly blasphemous comparing prayer to sex, but the satisfaction I got from my prayers was far greater than the joy I ever felt while performing the act of intercourse.

I was hooked.  I started praying every day.  I only felt what I felt while I prayed, and hardly ever felt those feelings anywhere else.  This didn’t make sense.  I wanted to feel like this every day at every moment.  I was vulnerable and was allowing my soul to speak on my behalf, to “nobody” but, yet it was comforting me in a way I couldn’t explain.  I didn’t want this feeling to go away but I could never feel that same tingling happy sensation unless I was in prayer.

So, this made me think.  How do I feel that happy peaceful tingling feeling every day without having to sit through prayer?  Simple, the answer is through meditation.  Meditation is prayer.  I came across this finding as I self taught meditation.  I researched and started following Spiritual leaders and professionals who incorporate meditation in their daily lives.  I followed their teachings, particularly Deepak Chopra’s meditation workshops, and began to feel the same sensations I had during prayer but all while I was sitting alone and reflecting on myself.  I finally achieved that same heightened blissful sensation that I only experienced during prayer.

The act of meditation allows you to be vulnerable and true to yourself just as you are during prayer.  During prayer you act and speak as if only God, or a higher entity, is judging you and therefore you are completely honest.  That same clarity and non judgement you feel during prayer is what meditation aspires to help you achieve.  Instead of looking toward God or an entity to help guide you, you look inward and seek that same guidance from within yourself.  During meditation you put the onus on yourself to realize and achieve comfort.  During prayer we are seeking external guidance and answers, whereas, during meditation your inner being directly provides you with those answers.

Time to reflect:

Do you pray?  If you do, how does it feel when you pray?  Do you feel a sense of comfort, peace, happiness, fearless, or non judgement?  If these are the feelings you feel during prayer try meditating.  I can assure you, once you begin practicing meditation, you will feel those exact same feelings you felt during prayer.  Meditation allows you to release your inner being and connect with it.  Instead of looking for answers from an external source, you begin to look inward and seek those answers from within.  The answers you find, will amaze you and may in fact guide you to your full potential in a way that prayer never could.

mindbodysoul

“Only those who see the invisible can attempt the impossible.” ~ Dick Eastman

Related articles

Check out the above articles as they provide a few tips on how to achieve the same connection and oneness you would feel during meditation, but with other activities in place of it.  Sometimes connecting through meditation is very difficult, but you can still achieve connection and oneness through other activities.  The second article discusses a new concept called Meta-Prayer.  We are all different and we all learn uniquely.  Learn about and teach yourself things the way it suits you so you can achieve the results you want.  Enjoy!