What a day.  Nearly midnight.  Computer got a virus.  Diagnosis not yet known.  Thankful for a lesson taught by a kid while reading The Right Brain Business Plan.

Sitting at hockey practice reading the Right Brain Business Plan a young man brings in some wares.  Wood cutting boards, handmade.  A poster with pictures of him building the cutting boards.  The words:  Boards by Ryan, My Passion is Hockey.

I continue reading.  A lady approaches the boy.  He tells her how they are made.  She buys one.

Participating in hockey is expensive.  $750 for the membership alone for my 9 year old.

PASSION is powerful fuel.  This young man did not ask for a handout or feel sorry for himself because his family could not afford the membership fee.

PEOPLE ARE EAGER TO HELP PEOPLE WHO HELP THEMSELVES.  Ryan knew what he wanted.  He took action.  He connected his WHY FUEL, passion for playing hockey, to his HOW TOOL, woodworking.

PASSION + ACTION = SOLD.  As I was reading the Right Brain Business Plan book and taking notes about my own business plans, this kid reminded of a lesson that must be learned over and over again. 

A committment to flowing my energy (money, action and a word of encouragement) to what I value made my decision easy. I purchased a cutting board.

Values reside within the essence of you as a Traveling Sanctuary.  It is central to your journey.

The Earth's First Chakra Doll

Chakras – The Gateways to Consciousness.  The 7 energy centers of the etheric body.

A “quirky” doll, I thought.   A  gift to Paige from Aunt Sheryl 15 years ago.

When I have a strong draw to something warmth expands inside.  My heart smiles.  It is a sense of fullness.

Solar Plexus – Position in the center of the body gives this  Chakras  its significance.  Impulses such as desire, wishes blend with impulses coming from above.  This is where the personality is formed.  Feeling and Being are integrated here.  This is the melting pot of spiritual and earthy aspects.

Heart – The center of the Chakra system.  Here authentic impulse (art or music) are processed into feelings and emotion. Unconditional love.  Healing by acceptance of suffering.

Paige wasn’t a “doll”  type of girl.

I am  not the re-gifting type, but have been known to take loads of stuff to the Salvation Army.  I did sell a wedding gift at a garage sale once, 10 years after our blissful wedded day.  I’m sure it was from my sister and it wasn’t because I didn’t love it THEN.  It just didn’t fit anymore.

The doll?  It stayed, bouncing with us with each move, finding it’s place in the bottom of toy chests.

Aunt Sheryl led, what I thought was a, unique life.  I can’t say that I spent an enormous amount of time with her, but the time spent was pronounce.   Some would say she was a hippie.   She was loved by many, rich, poor, gay and straight.  She had her struggles.  She was wise.

Since her passing her spirit has stayed with me.  I have come to rely on it in a way.

I picked up the doll last night.   I HAD A GUT FEELING.  My Heart Grew.

Paige is taking world religion this semester.  It is of great interest of her as she explores her own beliefs and the essence of what is true for her.  I bought a reference card on the 7 Chakras recently and her and I have discussed the concepts.   It resonates with what is true for her.

I’ve never noticed these colored circles.  OH Sheryl!  You Knew.  You shared in an unassuming way.

In that moment.  I knew.  When I handed the doll to Paige she knew.

Paige, “Aunt Sheryl gave you this doll when you were little.”

She looked at me.  I saw her smile.  I knew the smile she was having inside as well.

Mom, “Oh My God.  I am going to sleep with it every night.”

You don’t know what you don’t know until you know.  And in an instant you don’t know again, so we continue to seek and share what is true for us with others, with full heart.

Graham Cracker, Chocolate Bar, Marshmallow 100% Guilt Free

It was late.  She had just gotten home from a 7pm soccer game.  A hard fought lose.  Homework still had to be completed.  A busy work assignment in my opinion.

I had sustained myself on an early evening green smoothie (keifer, romaine lettuce, flax seed oil, raspberries and ice).

“Mom, can you just stay up and help me?”

“The hardest part is to just start, Paige.”

“What do you think about these two sentences to start?”

“I think it sounds just fine.”

I assessed what I now know to be true hunger pings.  Yep!  I’m hungry.

She really didn’t need my help on the assignment.  She just needed me to sit and listen.  Be there with her while she got up enough momentum to get the assignment going.  I looked up a few things on the internet.

“Hey,  are you going to make me one?”

“Sure, we’ll each have two.”  10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1  DING!

“Oh My God!  This is so good.  I think they actually taste better when you make them in the microwave.   I remember when Kelsey and I would make them that one summer.  I can’t believe the stuff I used to eat.  It was so unhealthy.”

As I become more knowledgeable about my body and how food is our ultimate medicine, I gladly make different, more healthy choices.  It’s the experience of my new love affair with natural, from the earth food, the miracle that it is.

Guilt adds weight and Paige and I shared none of that last night.  We enjoyed our treat and the moment that tagged along.

I went up to bed.  Paige came up to bed 30 minutes later, assignment completed.

I am down another 2 pounds.

This post is part of my Journey Towards Health Series:

Measure Your Way to Health and Happiness

Want to change?  Ask Yourself Why. Over and Over Again.

Before You Read Another Self Help Book

Good Morning Will Power Hello Results

Health?  Why now?

If I were to measure my happiness right now, from a scale of 1 to 10 I would have to say I am at a 8.5.  I’m happiest at night.  If not speaking makes you an unhappy person then I’d rate myself a 3 in the morning. I guess I just keep all my happiness inside in the mornings.  Last night my family was visibly annoyed by my vigorous expression of happiness.

You would think people know what makes them happy.  Do we need to measure our happiness to know that we are happy?  Could we be happier if we tracked and measured our happiness?  Yes, I think so.   Knowing what makes me unhappy is as important.

Rejected Theories on Happiness provided by The Happiness Project.  I’d have to say I agree with them.

John Stuart Mill: “Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.”

Willa Cather: “One cannot divine nor forecast the conditions that will make happiness; one only stumbles upon them…”

Eric Hoffer: “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.”

Shout out what makes you happy.

1-2-3 GO!

My kids, laughing, being dorky, engaging in deep conversation, listening,  solving problems, learning new things, healthy mind body spirit, good sex, working hard, helping others Discover Their B*a*g, simple things, the mobile hanging in my kitchen window, when my kids learn by me doing and not telling, AND

the journey towards achieving a MEANINGFUL GOAL, like being happy and healthy.

To me a goal is more tangible if I can see results plotted.   The act of plotting my progress connects MORE neurons in my brain, even if that picture reveals I need a redirection of efforts or strategy.   When I can visually tie actions to results  I LEARN.  It’s a map of  my personal experience and it  is very powerful.

Visual Learning (Wikipedia)

Retention

According to research, students better remember information when it’s represented and learned both visually and verbally.

Comprehension

Students better comprehend new ideas when they are connected to prior knowledge.

Organization

Students can use diagrams to display large amounts of information in ways that are easy to understand and help reveal relationships and patterns.

Visualising data – When working with data, students build data literacy as they collect and explore information in a dynamic inquiry process, using tables and plots to visually investigate, manipulate and analyze data. As students explore the way data moves through various plot types, such as Venn, stack, pie and axis, they formulate questions and discover meaning from the visual representation.

“Precognitive visuals are those that we process long before we even know that we are processing them.” – Dan Roam, The Back of a Napkin Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures

Post a Goal Your Community Can Rally Around.

Plot the results. Journal to reflect on actions that led to the results.

Mark. Reflect. Adjust.

SMART Goal for my health and happiness

S is for Specific -   I am happiest when I have a healthy body filled with energy.  I will learn information about being healthy.  I will apply what I have learned.  I will log what I eat, when I exercise and be mindful of my body and it’s response to my actions.

M is for Measure – I will measure and log weight loss, body composition,  energy level, how much sleep I get, actions taken towards my goals

A is for Attainable – Steady as I go.

R is for Realistic – A few pounds a week.

T is for Time Bound – Cement in my lifestyle a healthy way of being by April 2012.

Pick A Meaningful Goal, Learn, Apply, Plot Your Way, Adjust

It can be scary.  Just writing out your goals can bring on fear of losing your old comfortable ways.  You might disappoint yourself.  AND You may totally astonish yourself.

Traveling Sanctuary

1. An openness to bath in another person’s expression. Mind. Heart. Senses.  Facets await to be opened within a space of acceptance.
2. Trusting yourself enough to accept another person’s actions that disappoint. A sanctuary of trust begins with trusting thy self.
3. Silent. Eye. Contact.
4. Self acceptance.  Self Love.  Self Discipline.  You ARE the center of your universe, indeed.  Radiate outward.  Mirrors of self discovery surround you.
5. Actions speak loud and clear. Actions are based in belief.  Challenge your beliefs frequently.
6. Harnessing your inner Why Fuel with outer How Tools so the full expression of  You can be fully expressed outwardly into the world.
7. Understanding that energy that fuels your Traveling Sanctuary is in endless supply when allowed to flow through, not to be possessed.
8. To value your own self expression as it is in service to another who needs to feel they are not alone.
9. Viewing others as Traveling Sanctuaries.  What potential!  A harbor always within site.
10. Round circling orbs of fire fly light.  Glowing.  Intersecting.  Igniting.

My Journey Towards Health Series:

• Before You Read Another Self Help Book
• Good Morning Will Power.  Hello Results.
• Health.  Why now?  What’s different this time.

“Knowledge gives you permission to see the world differently.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza.

And WHY would you want to see the world (and yourself) differently?  Ask yourself, why.

Why am I?  Why do I?  Like, (1) why do I have the urge to go to the refrigerator right now and eat something?  I have an empty feeling, but I am not physically hungry.  (2) Why ?   I have been putting off writing this post.   (3) Why ? I feel inadequate.  This creates a physical feeling of emptiness.   (4) Why?  My feeling creates a chemical that triggers my subconscious memory to eat.  (5) Why ?  I have wired my brain for this action based on past behavior.

The root of my issue ( eating when my body does not need the nutrition causing me to add excess fat onto my body, which compromises my physical and mental well being) is a physical response to my thoughts.  I have wired my brain based on my past thoughts and subsequent ACTIONS.

I ask why, which prompts me to seek out knowledge, which has given me permission to view the world differently.  These views, or BELIEFS, which may be new, empower me to take action, which may be different from my past actions.  My new actions create a new personal experience, which creates a WHOLE NEW FEELING, which creates a WHOLE NEW CHEMICAL and CONNECTION in my brain.

I’m rewiring my brain!

The research I have been doing indicates that our brains are not hard wired, but rather pliable.   “For the first time in human history, scientists are beginning to understand how profoundly a person can influence the factors that control brain functioning – through food, supplements, and simple lifestyle changes, including mental and physical exercise.” – Jean Carper of Your Miracle Brain.

Root Cause Analysis

Root canals suck!  I’ve had one.  Mouth wide open for Lord knows how long.  Digging.  Digging. Cleaning.  Stuffing those little rods into the carved out root.   It can be painful  getting to the root of our pains, fears and problems.  When we continue to ask why, we are digging down to the root, the place where real change can happen.  If you want change, dig in and go there. ASK WHY.

“Be the scientist of your own life.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza

My empty feeling has subsided.

If these books had helped people change their lives would they be on the book shelf at the Goodwill store?

I didn’t find any workbooks on the self.

No Blood.

No Sweat.

No Tears.

Find a mentor who has done work and wants to help others take action.  We don’t do life by ourselves.

Before you buy that next book take a vow.  “I will act on what I learn.”

I BELIEVE you can take ACTION and GO to your wildest dreams.

MyJourney Towards Health Series:

1) Why Now?  What’s Different this time?

Historically speaking, I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON.  I do my best work  in the evening, but it is 6:00 AM right now, a time when I’d like to be squinting my eyes trying to figure out which button on my phone is the snooze button.

I decided last night to get a head start on my 4 goals I’m working on and committed to rising a bit early.  Last night I intended on going straight to bed but got caught up reading a pretty good book, Nothing to Lose Everyhting to Gain…. by Ryan Blair  (gangster becomes successful entrepreneur. great story. good lessons. the kind of testosterone i can appreciate.)

I was up until 1:00 AM.  Not enough sleep according to my new standards, so…

Where did I get the will power to rise and take action this morning?

Where did I get it?…….. Speaking as if I just walked over to my stash of will power and snatched up some of this precious resource,as if I could visualize it as a physical thing.

Visualization does have a lot ot do with it.  I visually see my progress which gives me the will power.  

little ACTIONS ~ WRITTEN down ~ Put into pictures and graphs ~ VISUALIZE PROGRESS = WILL POWER!

HELLO RESULTS.  GOOD MORNING WILL POWER.  Okay I got the title backwards. I”ll chalk it up to early rising.

Here are my visualization tools:

• Pick Four – Zigziglar’s Legendary Goals Program, Updated and Simplified
• TLS Weight Loss Solutions Online Dashboard

Same applies to any outward expression of yourself – business, family, projects, etc. 

Believe ~ Act ~ Go Visualize and get yourself some High Happy Fuel Will Power!!!

As I mentioned a few days ago, I am going to share my journey towards health out on the social web.  I guess it is my way of taking it seriously and to share what I learn along the way.

I’ve lost weight before, 60 pounds actually, about 11-12 years ago.   A few years and one pregnancy later I had gained it all back.  In the years following I’ve lost 20 pounds a few times AND gained it back.

So……. Why now?  What’s different this time?  In terms of the Modern B*a*g Lady continuum model, My Beliefs, My Why Fuel and my desire to apply knowledge to create my own emotional story.  Knowledge gives you permission to  view the world differently and challenge what you believe.  This emotion drives you to adjust your path and take different actions.

My Beliefs

Before: I’m not sure what I believed in 12 years ago.  I wanted to look better.  I pined for the days when my husband called me “cheeks”.    I wanted to be physically attractive.  I believed I looked bad.

Now: I believe my children will do what I do not what I say.  I believe a healthy mind and spirit contributes to a healthy body.  I believe my body is a miracle and the more I can fuel it with natural food the more happy it is.  I believe the epidemic of poor health is directly linked to the rise in consumerism.  I believe we know how to prevent cancer.

My Knowledge

Before: I knew exercise was good for me.  I knew I could consume food totaling 24-20 points per day on the Weight Watchers plan.  I knew high the fiber and lower  fat grams meant lower points.    Licorice is low in points.  Snack anyone?.  I knew I had to read labels to calculate my points.  I knew eating lean protein the morning would help maintain a steady blood sugar level.  I knew if I had a support system I had a higher likelihood of success.  I applied all the knowledge provided by the Weight Watchers plan and I  had success.

Now: I’ve added to the knowledge I gained 12 years ago.  Weight Watchers (the one I knew from 12 years ago) is a “loss weight in the real world” plan.  It wasn’t a “health” plan.   I know more about our food supply, depleted nutrients in the soil, use of genetically modified seeds,  use of pesticides, use of steroids,  additives, processing, artificial stuff.   This list goes on and on.  I know that inflammation is bad for your body and am learning more about the relationship between my food and inflammation.  I know that cancer thrives on inflammation.  I am learning about the  glycemic index and glycemic load.  Fat doesn’t make you fat.  Insulin makes you fat, which is our body’s reaction to consuming carbohydrates.  Complex carbohydrates are better than simple carbohydrates.   I’m learning sooooo much more this time.  The more  I apply, the more I challenge and affirm my beliefs. This makes for super charged fuel being supplied to the inner me as a Traveling Sanctuary.  I’ve deepened my story and the emotion tied to the story.

My Why Fuel

“Have optimal health so I can have the energy and clear mind to do the important work.”

“Create a strong family unit that can love and overcome.  Influence and teach my children.”

These were the goals I wrote in my  Seth Godin’s Pick Four, Zig Ziglar’s Legendary Goal Program work book.

My WHY FUEL 12 years ago was weak and superficial.  I wasn’t a bad why or how for that matter.  It just didn’t have staying power.  It met me where I was at the time.

Myself as a Traveling Sanctuary is at the center of my Universe

The most amazing thing is happening within our family unit as I concentrate on MY HEALTH.  My family is becoming interested in their own health.  WITHOUT nagging. WITHOUT preaching.  I honestly believe they can feel my energy and want what I have.  It’s so damn contagious.

Patience is a virtue.  As you journey fully as yourself, loving yourself, you want so much that your loved ones feel the way you do.  You can want it for them all you want, but the only way for them to desire and work towards the love, happiness and acceptance is for you to create the space for them to find it in their own way.

Traveling Sanctuary = You loving, accepting and being totally yourself.

Happy Family Hiking Together Trails

Get to the root of the matter.

Families that sweat together are happy staying together.

I have a goal, 4 actually.

#1 – Regain health and release 45 pounds

#2 – Have a significant amount of money saved and become debt free

#4 – Get the Modern B*a*g Lady Continuum Model out into the world

#5 – Advance my business

What I have come to understand is that I have had the tendency to spread myself out and tried to do too many things.  I’ve made progress, but what I really needed to do was deepen my understanding.  MASTERY.   I’ve avoided this my whole life.

So here’s what I’m going to do.  I am going to focus on these four goals.  And the cool thing is that they all are beautifully intertwined.

I will be sharing my journey towards health and weight release.  I will share it in terms of the Modern B*a*g Lady Continuum Model.

The Modern B*a*g Ladies believe act go Continuum Model

What is the Modern B*a*g Lady Continuum Model?

A layered visual model that guides our journey and prompts us to be and do.  It emphasizes that central to our continuous journey is the need to fuel ourselves as Believe Act Go Traveling Sanctuaries.  The model applies to any endeavor in the world which is our outward expression of ourselves, rooted in our beliefs, true or false.  We bring forth our inner fuel out into the world.   That fuel is harnessed through the phases of gaining knowledge, visualizing information,  applying  knowledge and finally having an emotional response, which returns the fuel back into ourselves.  That emotion can affirm our beliefs or challenge our beliefs, which may prompt us to adjust our path.   It allows us to see that we cannot compartmentalize our lives.  Each area affects the other.  The model gives reference to any part of our journey.

What is the purpose?

To help me help others share their true selves outwardly in the world as Traveling Sanctuaries, spreading joy, shredding fear and having fun.

Applying the Model to my journey towards health and weight release

My Why Fuel:

I have a desire to be a model for my family, so they inspired to live a healthy life.  I want to perform at my optimum level, which includes mental clarity and a high level of energy.  When I am at my best health I can journey as a Traveling Sanctuary to my fullest potential.  Taking charge of my physical health through good nutrition and exercise is the focus,  weight loss is a bonus side effect.  I also want to help others gain health. To do this authentically I needed to do it myself.  I have chosen the TLS Weight Loss Solution as one tool.  My hope is to help others use this tool to gain health as well.

How Tools (information, knowledge, visualized information, mentors):

• Low Glycemic nutrition plan offered by TLS Weight Loss Solution
• Online visual dashboard provided by TLS Weight Loss Solution
• Glycemic Index Food Guide
• Pick Four – Zig Ziglar’s Legendary Goals Program, Updated and Simplified – Curated by Seth Godin
• Surrounding myself  health aware individuals:  Susan, Linda and Maureen at Hope’s Harvest, my daughter, Dawn V, Dawn G, Kirsten F, Dr. Semerit, Mona and many more

Personal Experience So Far….

I am almost through day 3 of a the 7 day detox phase of the program.  I have lost 5 pounds and feel great.  Visualizing my progress via the online dashboard reinforces the power of the tools and the power of applying knowledge.

Emotion

I have a sense of accomplishment, peace and purpose.  This affirms my belief that good health sits on the foundation of good nutrition.  The whole process of a vegetable growing from a seed and creating this magnificent bounty of nutrients for me, is a miracle.  I must honor this miracle by harnessing this fuel to its fullest extent and give goodness back to the world that provided the nutrients.

Welcome Aboard this Shared Journey

I welcome you to follow my journey here and on Facebook.  Share your goals and desires.  We’re on this journey together.  Let’s journey as Traveling Sanctuaries, shall we?

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