“Beyond Weight Loss”: Part 1

With the wonderful technology at our fingertips offering us instant access to all kinds of information, you’d think we could figure out how to lose those last 10 pounds or find the best way to start our weight-loss journey. Yet most of us bounce around from diet to diet, we’re inundated with ads on various social media platforms touting the next quick-fix solution, and there’s always someone willing to yell at us or tell us what we’re doing wrong. Sigh. I’ll be honest with you. I have no desire to follow any kind of “diet” (I shudder just typing that word!), I will not pop some brightly-colored-squishy-candy-like thing, and I respond much better to positivity. I believe that weight loss CAN be achieved by making small, realistic, sustainable changes that don’t require a complete upheaval of our lives. So when I saw this documentary on Amazon Prime, I got super excited and knew I had to share it with you.

“Beyond Weight Loss: Breaking the Fat Loss Code” is an eye-opening experience to say the least. It’s 1 hour 45 minutes long, but well worth it. I’ve watched it a few times and each time I find something new. It also has a ton of information, which is why I’m presenting it in several parts. Keep in mind that this is, in no way, a substitute for watching the documentary but rather a smattering of key points and tidbits that I thought might be interesting and (hopefully) helpful. Let’s begin with the first thing that pops up on the screen.

“Exercise is King. Nutrition is Queen.
Put them together and you’ve got a kingdom.”

Jack LaLanne

Powerful stuff. Yet so simple. Too bad it’s not that easy though, right? So what can we do about it? What’s the key to making it work? Keith Klein CN, CCN, Dr. Roxanne Edrington DC, CCN, Larry North, Mike Ryan, Chuck Dertinger, and Kurt Osburn talk about the key aspects of losing weight safely and keeping it off. Turns out, it’s all about psychology. I know there’s been a surge of this in the past few years or so – and that’s because there’s truth to it. Basically, we need to “change the mind” in order to “change the body”. This documentary provides valuable information on multiple topics and offers steps to success that you can incorporate into your life without turning it upside down.

In Part 2, I’ll dive into the benefits of, and science behind, exercise programs, some dos and don’ts, plus suggestions for success. Part 3 encompasses nutrition, including the psychology of weight loss, information about sugar and fad diets, as well as tips for making better, long-lasting choices. Part 4 will focus on the steps to self-change and how to stay motivated on your journey. Finally, Part 5 brings it all together so that you can begin to put your goals into action.

For the time being, I want to give you something to (pardon the pun) chew on. It’s a skill that I believe is essential to becoming a healthier version of you by arming you with information that may very well change the way you look at food: read the label. I don’t mean look at the healthy colors and words on the front and take it as gospel. I mean study the nutrition label and learn how to decipher it. Here’s just one of the things we can learn from reading the packaging . . .

Keith Klein asks if we really know how fat our food is and then breaks it down for us into simple, digestible terms. He says that labels are terribly misleading and that companies in the U.S. don’t have to include the actual percentage of fat. If they did, we’d put it back, thus depriving them of their profits. The word “lean” on a label means that there is less than 10g of fat per serving. “Extra lean” indicates less than 5g of fat per serving. Yet many foods labeled as such are actually high fat foods. How can that be? Well, they calculate it based on weight, not calories. That’s a real game-changer. That “lean” ground turkey you bought that says 93% lean? It’s actually 45% fat. Would you like ground turkey that’s actually lean? Simple. Make sure that it says “turkey breast“.

Here’s another example: canned tuna in water. Keith highlights the difference between 2 cans of tuna made by the same company, yet one of them is 13% fat and the other is 40% fat. I was perplexed. Truly. I wondered how in the world that could possibly be true. The answer: tuna caught November through March are higher in fat than other times of the year because they pack it on during migratory season. I hit rewind a few times just to make sure I heard it correctly!

What’s crazier is that if a food has .5g of fat or less per serving, it’s legal to say it’s fat free. Case in point: non-fat cooking spray. It says fat free. Great! So we can use as much as we want, right? Nope! 100% of its calories come from fat. But wait, it says fat free on the front. It has less than .5g of fat. So what the heck? Well, take a look at the serving size: 1/3 second spray. Not one three-second spray, but a 1/3 second spray. Who can do that?! That won’t cover 1/3 of the pan for cryin’ out loud!

Ok. Deep breath. We know that reading our food labels is incredibly important, so what can we do to not get duped when we’re trying to eat better and lose weight? Keith offers a quick ‘fat formula’ to help us. (Just be sure to take into account the serving size.) Drum roll please . . .

grams of fat x 9 ÷ calories = fat %

Before you ditch me and run to your pantry and fridge to inspect food items, please know that this formula is information, a handy little tool to help you understand the real fat content in food. You don’t need to throw out everything in your kitchen that’s not low fat. Instead, use it to help you make better choices moving forward. Maybe give it a try this week at the store. It’s all about educating ourselves with quality information. We’ll explore other useful tools as we make our way through the documentary. After all, knowledge is power, isn’t it? And with more ammo in your arsenal, you’ll be better equipped to conquer any obstacles that you encounter. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I do! Stay tuned for more!

Best wishes for a wonderful week!

#personalgrowth

#readthelabel

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Happy 2024!

Hello and welcome back! (I know – it’s almost the end of January, but I wanted to try something before I wrote about it.) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the holidays, that 2023 was kind to you, and that 2024 is off to a good start. 2023 was certainly a whirlwind year for my family: college graduation, new jobs for each of my children, a memorable vacation, a new truck, continued happiness in my work, and the whole family together for Christmas. I am one grateful gal, that’s for sure! Did we have some struggles? Of course! But we learned valuable lessons and we take them with us into the next phase. That’s how we grow, isn’t it?

Speaking of growth, I received an email on January 1st that reminded me of last year’s “New Day’s Resolution” post. It brought up the fact that New Year’s Resolutions can be a source of terrible stress and anxiety for many of us. We put so much pressure on ourselves to turn things around (starting on New Year’s Day!) and when we fall short of our goals, it can be detrimental to our overall well-being. How do we combat that? Instead of “goal setting”, they suggest “growth setting”. So what, exactly, does that mean?

Well, let’s first look at traditional goal-setting. Some experts tell us that goals should be quantifiable and time-sensitive. In other words, put a number and a date on it. Something concrete that you can count or see, and within a specified time frame, so that you know you’ve achieved your goal. For example, “I’m going to pay off my credit card debt within the next 3 months” or “I’m going to retire in 5 years” or “I’m going to lose 25 pounds by Memorial Day”. While these might seem like perfectly reasonable goals to some, for many people they create unbearable anxiety. Many times we get frustrated with something which motivates us to take action and, depending on how ticked off we are, could lead us to setting an unreasonable goal. If we’re not careful, we set ourselves up for failure – especially if we’re not sure how to achieve those goals.

That’s where “growth-setting” comes in. In order to reach a goal we must complete tasks to obtain it. We can take the big picture and break it down into smaller parts. How do we do that? By developing the skills necessary to complete the tasks. If we concentrate on the skills, the destination will kind of take care of itself.

For example, I’d like to manage my time better. Ok. So how do I go about doing that? My first thought would be to make a to-do list and voila! Work on each thing, one at a time and they’ll get done, right? Unfortunately, to-do lists tend to put me in an anxiety-induced state of paralysis rather than serve as a motivator. Too many things. Too much for my brain to handle. Then I thought maybe I could prioritize the tasks. I do have a planner, so I began working on figuring out which ones are the most important or need to be done immediately. That was better. But I soon ran out of space. I still had things to do even after I listed the most important things first. On some days, it went back to being a huge, long to-do list, especially when I transferred tasks from one day to the next because they didn’t get done. So then I decided to eliminate the everyday things that I don’t need to write down, like empty the dishwasher or go grocery shopping. Those things were a given and my hubby and I get them done on a regular basis. I also stopped transferring items, particularly when I knew I wouldn’t have time to complete them. Instead, I put them on a day when I had extra time. And I put several easy tasks on those days knowing they would only take a few minutes each and I could knock them out with no problem. Suddenly, I was beginning to be able to check off the items on my lists. What a great feeling. One thing I did discover about myself, however, is that when I decompress by playing a certain game on my phone, a few minutes could easily turn into a half hour (or more!!!) So there was something else I needed to work on: limiting my game time. Once I began to set a time limit, I had more time to spend getting other things done, which led to more time to do the things that I wanted to do, which led to a calmer me because I didn’t have those things hanging over my head. Whew!

Now, 3 weeks later, I’m getting better at time management. Am I an expert yet? Absolutely not. But I feel good knowing that I’ve identified a few skills that will help me get things done so that I have more time for . . . whatever I want. I broke the process by asking myself just 3 questions: What is it I’d like to achieve? What tasks do I need to complete to get me there? and Which skills can I develop to make this happen for myself? Now I can continue my journey armed with new skills: 1) writing down only the immediate/important items in my planner 2) not transferring items 3) mapping out and doing tasks on days when I know I’ll have time and 4) limiting useless time-wasting. In fact, I’ve begun to switch my zone-out time to meditation which is much more beneficial. Then, later, I can play my game as much as I want. 🙂

I’m all about the ‘journey’ and I believe that, many times, it’s more important than the ‘destination’. I’m learning that by focusing on a few skills, tweaking and refining as I go, my goal is within reach – and without the fear, anxiety, and stress it would have caused me had I gone about it head on without a helmet. And I’ll be able to use this experience, along with my newfound skills, as a springboard for personal growth and achieving more success in the future. I like this idea of “growth-setting” and I’m going to try it in other areas of my life as well. I hope it gives you a bit of encouragement to find a way to search for, choose, and practice skills that will lead you toward your goals and aspirations. I wish you the best of luck and a very happy 2024!

#personalgrowth2024 #growin2024

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Roasted Squash Salad

Over the past couple of years, my husband and I have made a concerted effort to expand our tastes by adding new flavors and items to our nutritional repertoire. It’s not that we’re picky eaters, we just tend to favor the old recipes we grew up with, though now we put our own spin on them by adding different ingredients or substituting items with healthier options. We’ve also begun making different recipes, but usually only when we’ve tried it somewhere else first, like a party or gathering. It’s a safe way to try new things without the fear of wasting the whole thing if we don’t like it. (Kind of like eating the samples given out at the store! LOL) We haven’t exactly been adventurous about making a dish that we haven’t tried yet but we’re getting there.

One thing we have taken a liking to, though, is squash. I, personally, don’t remember eating squash when I was a kid. (I’m still not a fan of pumpkin, but I’ll keep at it until maybe one day I like it.) As for other types of squash, we’ve had some fun discovering them and like incorporating them into our meals. Just a few days ago we took a leap of faith and made the following recipe which I found on meijer.com. The original recipe calls for delicata squash however we couldn’t find any. I did a little research and found out that acorn squash is just as tasty, so we went for it. The result? DELICIOUS!!!

I just made a couple of minor adjustments to the recipe. First, because we couldn’t find delicata squash, I used acorn squash and only used one. And that was enough. I’m not a big fan of throwing mint on things, so I omitted that, but that’s a personal choice. If you like it, go for it! And as for the salt, I didn’t sprinkle much on the squash when I put it in the oven and I completely omitted it before serving. We didn’t miss it. With all the flavors going on in this dish, you don’t need all that salt. And your body will thank you for it.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t include a tidbit related to healthy eating. Squash is rich in vitamins A and C which are antioxidants that help reduce inflammation. Pomegranates are not only delicious but they’re an anti-inflammatory as well. And red onions are considered a superfood. They’re full of nutrients like folate, B6, and potassium which help to improve metabolism, regulate blood sugar, red blood cell production, and they’re great for your heart. Onions are pretty inexpensive too so they’re an easy addition to whatever you like to cook.

So, on to the recipe:

Prep: 15 min.

Cook: 30 min.

Total: 45 min.

2 large delicata squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch-thick half moons

2 tbls. extra virgin olive oil (a.k.a. EVOO)

1/2 small red onion, sliced very thinly

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1 lime, juiced

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place squash in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix to evenly coat the squash. Arrange the squash into a single layer and roast for approximately 30 minutes or until tender and caramelized.

Toss onion, feta, mint, lime juice, and pomegranate seeds in a large bowl. Top with cooled squash and gently toss to combine. Finish dish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

Enjoy!

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-squash

https://www.verywellfit.com/winter-squash-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefit-4117503

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/onion-benefits#nutrients

Recipe posted on meijer.com but adapted from joanne-eatswellwithothers.com

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered” – Conclusion

I just realized that I should have chosen a better title for this post because I don’t really feel that it’s the end. It may be the end of the book, the end of this series, but it’s only the beginning of a lifetime of living authentically and mindfully.

Over the past 8 weeks, we’ve learned how to be self-aware, present in the moment, to bear witness to what we feel, and to communicate honestly. We’ve learned to love ourselves just as much as we love others. We’ve learned to approach things as if for the first time, without judgment, which will help us to connect with others and be more understanding and compassionate. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how to set my intentions for meditation, ask meaningful questions about who I really am and what it is that I truly want, then listening patiently in silence.

In her conclusion, Sarah reminds us that meditation is not “an escape from your real life or responsibilities”, it is “a tool to help you navigate your life in a responsive and mindful way.” In other words, let’s use meditation as a means to meet life with a different mindset and to improve our well-being every day. She also says that she has a credo to help her remind herself of her transformation and stay the course: Faith, Patience, and Grace. I’m not sure what my credo is yet, but I’m thinking it’s something like Compassion, Patience, Authenticity, and Peace. Interestingly enough, as I look at the first letters of these words I notice that they are CPAP, which is a breathing apparatus. LOL So maybe that’s my cue: breathe. Meditate. Breathe. And compassion, patience, authenticity, and peace will result.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed the last several weeks and have been able to find the lessons that mean the most to you and make the biggest impact on your life. I would love to know how this experience has helped you. My sincere wish for you is that you will continue to meditate, grow, and find meaning in your life.

Enjoy the journey . . .

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 8 – Nourishment: Continue the Transformation

Wow! I can’t believe this is the last week! Time flies! Week 7 was a very special week for me. A few years ago, it helped me decide to change careers and pursue what really makes me happy. This time, as I asked myself what my heart’s desire is, I found answers that I wasn’t expecting. They had nothing to do with careers, but rather how I want to experience my life. I believe that our needs and desires change as we go through life and that our priorities change – and that’s ok. Elizabeth Gilbert said that we should “always be prepared for endless waves of transformation” in our lives. It’s the only way we can grow. I hope you’ve been able to enjoy your periods of self-inquiry and are receptive to whatever comes to you during that time. I’d love to hear what you’ve learned!!

During Week 8, Sarah discusses the importance of sleep, that good health is directly tied to good digestion, and the practice of Noble Silence in order to nourish ourselves and continue to develop our meditation habit. She also teaches us how to experience everything we’ve learned over the past 7 weeks in a Personal Retreat.

We all know that sleep and nutrition are essential for good health. Sleep is the time when we recharge our batteries, which helps reduce stress, balances hormones, and keeps our immune systems working properly. Without ample sleep, we’re low on energy, our brains don’t function well, and we’re not able to handle situations as well as when we’re well-rested. Sarah gives some pointers on how to achieve optimal sleep habits so that we’re at our best every day. She also suggests that digestion doesn’t just mean how we process food, it can also mean how we process events in our lives. When we aren’t present, we have trouble digesting a situation. Mainly, though, she points out that food plays an important role in our overall health and suggests that when food is in its natural state, without processing, that’s when we get the most nutrition to fuel our bodies. And when our bodies are functioning properly, that helps our mental state as well, which leads to overall better health. It’s all connected.

Two incredibly interesting practices this week involve “unplugging” ourselves from the outside world and truly going inward. The first exercise is called “Noble Silence” and it’s one of the most difficult, yet magnificent experiences we can have. It’s when we simply step into complete silence and just be. We remove ourselves from all distraction and be silent. It can be a meditation or just sitting in silence and experiencing everything as it comes. I try to do it as often as I can.

The other exercise this week is the Personal Retreat. Basically, you set aside a period of time (a half-day, full day, weekend, etc.) and retreat into Noble Silence for the entire time, going about your tasks completely “unplugged” from all electronics and in complete silence. You can use this time to practice all of the different exercises you’ve learned over the past several weeks – Long, Slow Deep Breathing, Walking with Awareness, Delectable Eating, and Body Scan to name a few – but the main goal is to be present and aware in each and every action, thought, and feeling. Go about your tasks mindfully, and welcome all that you experience throughout your dedicated time. It’s totally worth doing whenever you get the chance!

I really encourage you to try these exercises this week. I would love to hear how it went. And read the overview as well at the end of the chapter. There are some things I forgot about and will be doing again soon. It’s all about cultivating peace and mindful living – and we have all that we need to do it! Good luck this week!

Next week: Becoming “Soul-Centered” – Conclusion.

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 7 – Receptivity: Look for What Matters

Over the past several weeks I’ve really enjoyed revisiting this book, completing the activities and exercises again, and reestablishing a healthy meditation habit. I look forward to it each and every day. And I’ve noticed a huge change in how I look at the world – and the people in it – and how my thoughts, behaviors, and actions now come from a calmer, more peaceful place inside of me. I hope that meditation has become an important part of your day – and life – and that you can feel the transformation for yourself.

This week is a very special one for me. It’s Week 7. The week that truly changed my life. It’s all about how our focus changes how we see things, asking ourselves what it is we truly want, and expressing gratitude. I can’t tell you how important this chapter is. It’s not easy, but essential. Can’t skip this one!

In this chapter, Sarah talks about how our focus can affect our experiences, reminding us that “what you look for is what you get”. For example, when my husband and I were looking for a new car for me, I started paying attention to all the different cars on the road. I noticed a few that I really liked and suddenly that’s all I saw! Similarly, if we focus on the negative, then guess what? That’s what we’ll see. However, if we look for the good, we will find it! It never ceases to amaze me how powerful our minds are, and when we can shift what we focus on, it can be life-changing. Or, at the very least, mood-changing. But changing our focus is just the beginning and ties into figuring out what we want and showing gratitude . . .

Sarah says that “life always meets your desires”. When I read this book for the first time, I didn’t realize how true that was until I practiced this week’s Self-Inquiry: “What is my heart’s desire?” (Nor did I realize how little I knew about what I really wanted in my life!) The most difficult part of this exercise, for me, is letting go of control. We’re supposed to ask ourselves the question, then wait. Quietly. The purpose is to let the answers come to you naturally. Not to invent something to want. Not to plan. Not to figure out how or when. We’re supposed to let the universe figure that out. (Soooo much easier said than done!) But the purpose of asking this very pointed question is to “plant the seed” as Sarah calls it. Then you tend to it with your attention, make choices based on your internal compass, and let it grow. One problem that Sarah warns us about, though, is becoming attached to the desire. She says that when we hang on too tightly to it, and things don’t turn out exactly as we had hoped, that’s when we suffer. We want to control everything, but some things are out of our control and can affect the outcome. It’s frustrating. So her advice is to ask the question, sit quietly, listen, and then let it go. Don’t put any more effort into the inquiry. The answer will reveal itself to you. I call it ‘putting it on the back burner and letting it simmer’. Eventually, whatever it is will let you know when it’s ready. Then you can serve it up. In other words, we need to do the exercise. Ask the question, then go about our day. The answer will come. It may not be exactly as we thought it would be, but if we’re willing to receive the information and go with it (in whatever direction that may be), we’ll achieve what we truly desire. It’s what led me to health coaching and switching careers. I wasn’t sure how to get out of my other career, but I persisted in my inquiry and meditation until one day, I found a program that aligned with my ideas and values, and earned my certification. One thing led to another and suddenly I was presented with an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. Now I’m so much happier and fulfilled, working with wonderful people, and doing what I love.

The other essential part of this week is expressing gratitude. Being grateful is easy to do when things are going well. It’s a whole other animal when we’re stressed out and we have the weight of the world on our shoulders. Sarah admits that some days will be easy, other days will be incredibly challenging, but expressing even the tiniest bit of gratitude for something, or someone, can turn the tide for us. For me, being genuine about it is key. I once tried to keep a gratitude journal and, while I started out well, I struggled on the really bad days and it felt forced. I’m not ok with that. That’s not how I want to be. Now, I express my gratitude at random times, whenever it strikes me and it feels so much better. More genuine. More me. By shifting my focus, it helps to improve my mood. No journal needed.

Well, thank you for allowing me to dive into this one. And for reading it all the way through. 🙂 I hope that you embrace this week’s lessons and exercises and discover something new about yourself and your true desires. I also hope that you can find some rays of hope and happiness in everything around you. No matter how small.

Peace.

Next, the final chapter: Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 8 – Nourishment: Continue the Transformation

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 6 – Authenticity: Communicate Honestly

Wow! We’re 5 weeks in and things are really starting to roll! I absolutely love my mantra meditations and being able to go inward and just . . . be. I think having a mantra helps me block out the craziness and help my mind focus on one thing. I hope you’re enjoying your meditations and are really beginning to see and feel the difference they make! Now we’re going to work on including the rest of the world . . .

Week 6 really resonated with me and my journey of self-discovery, particularly paying attention to intuition, that inner ‘voice’ or ‘gut feeling’ that gives us what Sarah calls the “yum and yuck” factor. We can either use it to guide our choices – or ignore it and sometimes suffer the consequences. I’ve experienced first-hand how ignoring it can affect a life. It was the sinking feeling I got when I accepted a job because it was full-time, the money was needed to help put my kids through college, and everyone around me thought it was a good idea. The moment I accepted the job, I felt nauseated, my chest constricted, my heart pounded, and I could hardly breathe. I convinced myself that it had to do with the fact that I just hadn’t been in my own classroom for many years, not that it was the wrong decision. I then spent the next 6 years dreading going to work each and every day, dealing with anxiety, panic attacks, sleep deprivation, and cracking teeth due to stress. Once I made the decision to leave and start a new career, I vowed never to allow myself to be put in that position again – that I would listen to my heart – and I couldn’t be happier.

Sarah also talks about actively listening and being present when others are sharing their thoughts and feelings with us. That doesn’t mean that we’re just letting them go on and on, it means that we’re giving them our undivided attention and creating a safe, comfortable, and nonjudgmental space to express themselves which makes them feel important and heard. When we’re with others and texting, on the computer, or doing something else while they’re talking, we’re not really listening and therefore letting them know (unconsciously) that they’re not worthy of our time. And that, my friend, is one of the worst things we can do to the people we love. We want to be heard, don’t we? Valued? Then we must do the same for them. The “Listening with Love” exercise this week teaches us to recognize habits and behaviors that impede our ability to actively listen to someone and redirect our minds to the present moment. In other words, put the phone down or stop doing what you’re doing, take a deep breath, and give that person your full focus, love, and attention. They will appreciate it – and you.

I hope that you’ll take these lessons to heart and open yourselves up to true connection, honesty, and happiness – not just within yourselves, but with others. Continue to find the true you, follow your ‘gut’, and be mindful in the presence of your loved ones so that you can build a soul-centered and happy life.

I wish you peace and fulfillment.

Coming up next: Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 7 – Receptivity: Look for What Matters

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 5 – Intimacy: Connect to Your Soul

Welcome to Week 5! Now we’re on a roll! Over the past four weeks I’ve reacquainted myself with some of the activities I haven’t done in a really long time and while a few of them come back easily, some are much more difficult, such as the Loving Your Body or Affirming Your Perfection activities. Admittedly, I still have some work to do when it comes to accepting myself “as-is” and counteracting some negative self-talk. I’m working on it, though . . .

This week’s lesson is all about connecting to our souls. Finding that quiet, inner space that allows us to find, and be, who we truly are. It’s also about beginning to look at and experience life from a different perspective – from our souls rather than our egos. Our ego is so caught up in external elements and dependent on self-image as well as what others think of us. It can be rather judgmental too. Yet when we live a soul-centered life, we’re confident and secure, free from the anxiety and stress of worrying about how others see us, and we’re able to engage in what is called ‘mudita’ – the true joy we feel regarding someone else’s happiness and success instead of comparing ourselves to them. And when we feel ‘mudita’, the world is a much brighter, happier place.

In order to find our true selves this week, we’ll do a Self-Inquiry during which time we must ask ourselves “Who am I?” This sounds so simple, but it really isn’t. And I’ll admit that when I first asked myself this question I became frustrated because I didn’t know the answer and nothing really came to mind, which kind of made me wonder what I was really doing with my life. The most difficult part of this question is just listening and waiting. Sarah says “the most important part of this exercise is to ask the question, not answer it.” Well that’s much easier said than done, that’s for sure. But what I finally realized is that when I begin to question my thoughts and really ask “Who am I?” it gets the ball rolling, so to speak. It hangs out in the background, even when I’ve moved on to other things until one day it becomes clearer to me. It can come during meditation or at some random time and it fills me with such calm and peace. I encourage you to keep asking. And keep listening.

Finally, during Week 5, we’re introduced to my favorite type of meditation: the Mantra Meditation. This is my main form of meditation and I have several mantras that I use depending on my intention and how I’m feeling at the time. ‘Mantra’ is a Sanskrit word that can mean “instrument for the mind”. It’s interesting because mantras can have meaning for your meditation, certainly, but they are also incredibly effective at giving your mind something to do instead of thinking. There’s something very comforting in repeating the sounds of a mantra and my mind is instantly calmed so that I can fall deeply into my meditation. Here, Sarah offers the mantra ham sa, which sounds like ‘hum sah’. I also like the mantra so ham and I use it most often. Whichever mantra you use, the purpose is to calm your mind so that you can reach something called ‘the gap’ between thoughts. It’s that quiet moment when you stop thinking and feel your soul. It’s an amazing feeling and I sincerely hope that you get to experience it at least once this week. It’s what got me hooked on meditation and keeps me coming back.

Until next week, please continue to meditate and do the activities that you enjoy most. Find that time just for yourself. Explore. My wish is that you find peace and happiness in your journey to your soul.

Up next: Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 6 – Authenticity: Communicate Honestly

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 4 – Compassion: Love Yourself

Welcome back! I hope that you’re enjoying your new meditation practice and beginning to notice some positive changes in your life. With three weeks under our belts, we’re getting better at being present and aware, recognizing and resolving stress, and learning to experience things as if for the first time. Even if you aren’t seeing significant changes yet, I hope that you’ll stick with it. It’ll happen.

Week 4 focuses on an important, yet more difficult, practice: loving yourself. For many of us, this is a completely foreign concept. We’ve been raised to swallow our feelings, put everyone else higher on our priority list (as we slide further down), and even been led to believe that self-care is a selfish act. Self-esteem and self-worth are dependent on external factors. We expect so much of ourselves and treat ourselves poorly when things don’t work out as planned. Body image is a constant source of stress. And how many of us engage in negative self-talk? All of these things are detrimental to our well-being, and we know it, but how do we stop the cycle?

Science tells us that meditation actually changes the physical structure of our brains and that it helps provide clarity and awareness while promoting compassion toward ourselves as well as others. In fact, Sarah mentions the fact that “the areas of the brain related to empathy and compassion are more active in those who meditate than in those who don’t”. That, to me, means that meditating makes us nicer people. I like that. I think the world needs more nice people. Sarah goes on to talk about how compassion toward ourselves is just as important as compassion toward others and it has a positive effect on multiple aspects of our lives. I firmly believe that everything is connected – mind, body, and spirit – and when we’re in the right headspace, everything else kind of falls in line. We’re happier, healthier, kinder, and things (even the bad stuff) are doable. Compassion is also a great motivator, certainly better than negativity, for weight loss and helps reduce stress that can lead to illness.

One section in particular caught my attention: “Don’t believe everything you think”. We can sometimes be bogged down by our negative thoughts and Sarah encourages us to question those thoughts instead of blindly following along or believing them. She suggests that we ask these questions in order to really figure out how things would be different based on the answers:

  1. Who would I be if I didn’t believe that thought?
  2. How would I live my life without the thought?

This is one of the parts of this book that changed my life. I started dissecting how things were going and, when I realized I wasn’t happy, I asked myself these questions and spent a lot of time meditating on them. It provided me with some much-needed clarity and actually helped me make the decision to change careers.

The Loving Kindness Meditation is one that I go to every so often when I’m feeling sorry for myself and my negative self-talk gets to be annoying. This is a particularly grounding meditation that reminds me to have compassion for myself, but also to turn my compassion and empathy outward to those I hold dear and to those I don’t even know. It’s also helped me to come to terms with some people in my life that I find difficult to understand, interact with, or I feel have treated me unfairly. I’ve become more forgiving as a result and I’m grateful for that. It has helped resolve some of my feelings and oftentimes I can recall how I felt during the meditation and apply it to the situation at hand, therefore approaching it in a different, more calm, manner. I really hope you’ll try this one this week and that it helps you find peace.

It is my sincere hope that you’re enjoying this book and putting some of the exercises into practice in your daily life. Positive self-talk is difficult to learn, but can impact your life in ways you couldn’t have imagined. Practicing loving kindness could very well change a relationship you have with someone – and I hope that it does. Above all, I hope that you develop a practice of self-compassion that helps you become more at peace with yourself, your body, your life. You deserve it!

Next week: Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 5 – Intimacy: Connect to Your Soul

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 3 – Freedom: Begin With a Beginner’s Mind

Now that you’ve practiced meditating for two weeks, I hope that you’re better able to identify your stress triggers and choose an appropriate method to find your center again. Being able to do this means that you’re becoming more self-aware and mindful of the present moment. That’s a good thing . . .

Now we’ll move on to Week 3. And I’ll be the first to admit that this is one of the most difficult weeks for me. It focuses on letting go of expectations, judgments, and labels – which is really hard for me to do because I’m such a nerd and I love learning new things! I’m the kind of person who, when I see or experience something new, wants to know more about it. This week’s lesson is all about letting go of that habit and experiencing everything as if it were the first time. Aack! Seriously??? Forgive me for a moment while I take a long, slow, deep breath . . .

In Week 3, Sarah focuses on the difference between knowing about something and what she calls “direct experience”. She emphasizes that our minds tend to label and categorize things which can lead to judgments about them. Being a “know-it-all”, having expectations, and repressing our feelings because they’re not what we “should” feel are just as detrimental to directly experiencing something. She says that by doing these things we’re actually creating a disconnect, which prevents us from the true experience.

Sarah goes on to distinguish the two ways that our brains work: the “default network” and the “direct experience network”. The way she describes the first one reminds me of what I call the ‘working brain’. It’s the brain I use when I’m managing my day-to-day activities, planning my week, doing my job, thinking about my next crochet project, etc., etc. All kinds of thoughts ricochet through my brain. The “direct experience” part of the brain is when you are fully engrossed in whatever you’re doing, observing, or experiencing without thinking about anything else, creating a story in your head about it, labeling, or judging it. You’re just . . . being. Taking it all in. This is the brain I use while running, going for a walk, or doing just about anything by myself. I just soak in all that surrounds me and revel in it. And I love every moment of it.

So this week Sarah highlights a few activities to practice having a “beginner’s mind”. She suggests going to your favorite restaurant and letting the chef decide what to make for you, having a day when you say yes to things you might normally say no to, and to watch a movie you know nothing about (without violence, please) and simply experience it without picking it apart. Another activity is called “delectable eating” which you can do with others or by yourself. (It’s really kind of fun, actually!) Finally, she suggests “walking without labels” which is probably my favorite simply because I love being outside and walking without feeling the need to chatter the whole time.

In addition to the exercises for practicing the “beginner’s mind”, we’ll continue to do the “sitting meditation” in order to develop our new meditation habit. I wish you the best of luck this week. Please be on the lookout for the mid-week check-in – I’d LOVE to hear about your experiences with the “beginner’s mind” exercises! I hope that you enjoy this week and can begin to truly experience your life in a whole new way!

Coming up next week: Becoming “Soul-Centered”: Week 4 – Compassion: Love Yourself

The information and exercises listed above are from Sarah McLean’s book “Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation”. I have done my best to accurately quote Sarah as well as to adequately paraphrase and express my own thoughts regarding the information in her book.

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.