There are times when we come to the realization that we could somehow benefit, whether in body, mind or spirit, from making a change.  I'm going to refer to these changes, based on my inspiration, as "stepping it up"!

I've made a few adjustments to my routine this year, and have another to make...soon!  I am inspired, when I leave my building each day, by a view to what can only be described as a tall pyramid of stairs. When at the bottom of the pyramid, how do people get to the top? They climb those stairs! It can be one step at a time, or a grab of 2, until they reach the top! When at the top, they're not there yet.  They're at  the place where the journey becomes less strenuous, as they continue moving closer to their desired destination.

I prefer the reference of "stepping it up" because it doesn't imply starting from a bad or negative place, and more importantly, taking the first step is manageable and incremental.  

It's one step! It's not an enormous leap!  One step is all we need to build the momentum that keeps us moving toward our desired reality.  The task we do to initiate change is a small movement, a realistic adjustment, that allows us to move out of inertia and make our dreams into reality!

As we well know, that first step is often the one that meets the greatest resistance, and challenges our drive, ego and even our reality!  More reason to put the journey that begins with one step to the test of perspective!

To help you out, and give you an energetic boost in  direction of your dreams, let me offer the following 5 fantastic tips:

1. Break it down to step it up! Goals are often seen as just too much to tackle, so don't!  For example, if your desire is a more tidy home, this goal can seem enormous when you consider every room, surface and contents of your place. It seems entirely overwhelming. So...break it down!  The "home", for example, can be broken down to rooms and even areas in a room.  
Say, you choose the kitchen.  The first step could be leaving the kitchen sink area clean and dirty dish free before going to bed each night.  You'll feel fresher in the morning facing a clean sink area and more motivated toward the next step!
2. Write down, or better begin journaling, the first step.  Include a start date and time for the first step!
3. Release self-criticism when you think and write about the first  step. For example, "I'm going to support my good health by increasing my hours of rest to 8 hours..starting tonight!"
4.Approach "stepping it up" from a position of gratitude!  "I'm grateful for choices I'm able to make freely in my life". "I'm grateful to have the knowledge and ability to take charge of my health!"  "I'm grateful for the support of my coach, my friends and family as I take steps to enhance the quality of my blessed life"!
5. Celebrate incremental successes!  Did you clean the kitchen sink each night for a week?  Take yourself out for coffee, or take that coffee money and place it in a tip jar for yourself!  When the tips accumulate to a point, let them support a fun goal or donation!

Would you like more tips, coaching, guidance or an unbiased perspective on your next step?  I'm here for you!  Please reach out through the contact form to schedule a brainstorming call!  
Strong love! xx


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DO YOUR WORDS BUILD YOU UP, OR BEAT YOU UP??
These are the words we use when speaking to and about ourselves.  Sometimes it is the nagging, relentless voice in side of our heads.  The French have named this voice the "Sabateur"!  
Quite often, through conditioning, or repetition, the words of the Sabateur fall out of our brains and out of our mouths...
"I always seem to get it wrong" 'I'm too old, fat, uneducated...for that!"
"This is how it always goes for someone like me." "I never win,"
"I never have enough money, time, friends, or luck!"  "I seem to pick the wrong people."  "It has always been this way for me." "I'm so weak!"

When conducting certain workshops, I've asked the audiences to write down one of the negative messages they tell themselves. Next, the writers are asked to turn to the friend next to them and say the message to that person. They direct it  toward the other person as though it was a message meant for him or her.

Everyone in the group is usually horrified at the prospect of saying something so mean to a friend or even to the stranger next to them.
I really believe that most of the time, we are unaware of the atmosphere of self-criticism in which we are living. With this dynamic exercise, participants gain an awareness of the degree to which their words are destructive and unkind. 
We think say things to ourselves that we could never in our right minds say to a friend.  If we did, that friend would be so crushed and shocked that their love for us could change, or disappear completely from our lives.

We all want love...
to love, to be loved and see more love in the world.  This begins within!
When we learn to extinguish the flame of self-deprecation, we stop verbally beating ourselves up, and ignite that self-love flame, we prepare ourselves to give and receive.  As one person, this is our magical contribution toward a more loving world.

Those self-loathing words that we use on ourselves are the real bullies in our lives.  They won't go away so easily simply with our desire...but it is a start!
​That desire is like the power found in taking a stand with a human bully.
We have then created the space to flex those self-love muscles!

We can effectively exercise to strengthen self-love muscles with new ways of speaking to and about ourselves. Call these affirmations, scripts, assertions, or my personal favorite, exercises for our brains!  Just like with the body, our minds become stronger with effective mental exercises to chase away the bully brain and nurture inner harmony.

Here are a few examples:
"Life always works out for me."
"I am grateful for the lessons...this day...my life"
"Life just keeps getting better for me"
"I am worthy of a healthy body...loving relationship...a well-paying job...a 
        pretty home...supportive friends"
"I feel stronger...happier...safer...healthier every day"

Ditch the old talk and replace it with your new! 
Three sets of 10, 25 times a day...every day!
Got it?  Good!
    From me to you with strong love and light!

These positive words of love, peace, harmony vibrate at a high level when measured. 

This country is in a health crisis characterized by obesity, metabolic disease and lack of physical fitness. What are the 5 foods that are making kids...and adults sick and fat??
1. CEREALS AND GRAIN BASED SNACKS
These products are typically loaded with added sugar and refined grains. "Healthy" cereal-based snacks are often sugar rich with lots of unhealthy empty calories.
2.  FRUIT JUICE AND PACKAGED FRUIT
Natural fruits are full of vitamins, enzymes, nutrients, fiber, and naturally occurring sugar.  Packaged fruit snacks offer convenience but they do not offer the same fiber, enzymes and vitamins.  Processed fruits also often add excess calories.
3.  HOT DOGS AND PROCESSED MEATS
These products contain high amounts of salt, sugar and chemicals.  Healthier options are home-cooked meats, boiled eggs, nut butters and hummus...(but read the labels on the latter 2 for simple "clean" ingredients).
4.  INFANT FORMULA AND PROCESSED BABY FOOD
Sorry to say that infant formula is high in sugar and artificial ingredients.  Spoon feeding pureed baby foods has been linked to childhood obesity.
5.  DIET AND FRUITY SOFT DRINKS
Though lower in calories than sugared soft drinks, consumption of diet drinks has been linked to obesity  in children and adults.  Many fruity or even tea bottled drinks contain little of the nourishing benefits of real fruit and are diluted with added sugar and chemicals.