What happens when you hear the word goal? Is your first thought  "ugh" or do you think about goals you were once successful at? I'm guessing most people, myself included, say "ugh" when they hear the word goal. It means committing to something or maybe even following through with something that feels scary. It might even mean I have to push myself out of my comfort zone and that really feels uncomfortable!

I looked the word goal up in my trusty thesaurus (remember when that was an actual book?!) and found many other words that don't feel so hard or scary as the word goal. The word intention is a synonym and I hear that word used a lot these days. Just yesterday I was in yoga and we were setting our intention for the results from our class. Now that was easy, my intention was to find the joy in moving my body through yoga. Had the instructor said  "set your goal for the class" I might have come up with the same thing or quite possibly made a different goal. I like the word intention, the dictionary says it is: an aim or plan. That feels much safer and gentler than the word goal. I looked the word goal up and came up with this for a definition: an aim or desired result. Isn't that interesting that they both mean very much the same thing (and why they are synonyms!). Isn't it funny how 2 words with the same definition can feel so different?

I often hear people talking about "setting their intention" for the short term, like a yoga class or listening to a lecture and fewer people talking about setting goals. I've been told that only 3% of people actually write down and set goals for themselves. And the act of writing down a goal leads to a much better chance of actually accomplishing that goal. 

I did write down my goals at the beginning of the year and I have accomplished some of them, some I have changed and others I am working towards. Yes it means stepping out of my comfort zone and yes sometimes it feels scary but on the other hand there is tremendous joy in the accomplishment. 

A good way to begin with your goal or intention is to start small and simple.

"My goal for this week is to exercise 6 days."

Then at the end of the week when you write down all your successes you can begin with: "I successfully completed my goal for the week." Or "I did not meet my goal this week and am reevaluating to create a new goal."  This gives us an opportunity to look at the resistance to doing something we really want to do and set a new goal about it.

My point here is that goals do not have to be big scary plans that we can't achieve, instead they can be small, productive goals that make our lives better. It's what we are aiming for and striving towards in our lives. 

If you are ready to set some goals and would like a place to share your goals and more importantly to share your successes then join the small, safe accountability group I am starting. Click here

You have the choice to accept your life script you’ve written thus far or edit it so you can create a life that fulfills you. ~ Madisyn Taylor

Editing your life can be as simple as creating one new daily habit or it can be as grand as recreating yourself. 

When I attempt to develope a new daily habit or create a goal that I want in my life I use a 'daily action guide' that I developed to track my progress. It is a useful and productive tool but without any accountability I easily slip out of the habit or get stuck and forget about the goal. I am tired of wanting to make changes but not following through and giving up. Can you relate to that? How many times do you say in the morning "I'm going to (eat healthy, exercise, work on that book I'm writing, make that doctors appointment etc) only to find at the end of the day you haven't done it? I'm not looking for a nag as I am sure you aren't either but when we make a public statement of our intention it is so much easier to follow through.

So I am offering an opportunity for you to join me in an accountability group. This is a group that you can use to help you get special projects done or use it as it as a place to be accountable for your day-to-day activities meditating, exercise, eating healthy etc. The group will close once we have 10 members to allow a safe and supportive atmosphere. I'll create a second group of there is more interest so don't let that keep you from joining the group. 
I will set the group up so that we have a private Facebook page for daily communication and we will meet for one hour on a Google Hangout biweekly (the second and fourth Monday of each month at 1pm EST) beginning August 10, 2015. Let's use that time to share our successes or stumbling blocks that we need support with.

Last winter I dug out an old needlepoint that I had started over 30 years ago. I made the statement that I wanted to finish it and was looking for accountability. It was so much easier for me to work on the needlepoint and actually finish it once I had made known my intention. I finished the needlepoint part and then it sat in the bag just needing to be made into a pillow. So I mentioned on the accountability Facebook group that I began last week, I used it as something small to begin the group. Wouldn't you kow it when I was at yoga I was talking about the needlepoint and someone suggested getting it framed instead of making it into a pillow. I loved the idea and with in 20 minutes I had it at a local frame shop and now I am waiting for the framing to be completed. Phew that was easy! Actually it was much more stressful thinking about getting it done than actually doing it!

Are you ready to make those edits to your life, feel better about yourself and get closer to creating the life of your dreams?

Join me if you are ready to be accountable while getting support, giving support and celebrating all those successes! https://www.facebook.com/groups/786014708185441/

While looking on Pinterest I came across a quote that said. "The way we talk to our children becomes the voice in their head". It made me stop and think about the voice(s) in my head and what they are saying to me. Mind you these are not the crazy, schizophrenic voices they are those inner voices that I have chosen to think about over and over. Usually these thoughts are a result of one or many negative comments that are said to me, you know the ones that we remember and forget all those wonderful positive comments that are made. The things that go on in my head often reinforce my "not good enough" issue that I am challenged with and range from criticizing my craft/sewing projects to telling me I don't write well to being lazy and not working hard enough. 

I became especially aware of these comments last winter when I was sewing the family Christmas pajama pants (6 pair and a sleeper for my granddaughter). As I was sewing that voice was telling me that no one would like them, that I was not doing a good job and that they all looked terribly homemade. Phew it was exhausting getting through the first pair of pants but the good news was that I became acutely aware of the voice.

I think I got so used to hearing the voice that I was not even aware of how much it affected me. Until I became aware of the negative self talk I wasn't able to change it. How can I change something I don't even realize is there! The beauty of awareness is making the change and that means creating new selftalk, self talk that is loving and encouraging. First I talked back to the voice telling it that it couldn't do any better and that I was not going to listen to that critic any more, next I shifted to thinking how much I loved doing the project and how much I enjoyed being creative though sewing. The advantage of shifting that thinking was focusing on the joy of sewing and the anticipated outcome. Plus now I was able to pour lots of love into the project and of course the sewing became so much easier too!

In the last few months I have been challenged with Achilles tendon surgery and of course that has given me a chance to shift the thoughts in my head from "why is this taking you so long to get better?" to "I love how my body heals itself". As long as I kept that negative, inner self-criticism I was miserable and struggled to feel better but once I changed my thinking to loving myself for healing, it became a much easier process. 

So now I pay much more attention to those negative thoughts in my head and shift them to a new perspective focusing on the positive. There is greater ease and joy when I am coming from that loving joyful perspective.

 

Can you relate? 

 

 

What is a gift? It's a present, it is something we give to another and something we receive from another.

The gifts of my life are so abundant they fill me with joy each day.

The greatest gift today is Chloe my little granddaughter who is now a toddler. She is on her feet moving and exploring her world all day everyday. I marvel at her experiences this Spring knowing that the world is all new to her from the flowers (dandelions) growing in the grass to the dirt and rocks outside. It is all so different from the snow covered world of winter to green grass, leaves and flowers. I always appreciate the difference of the seasons and the beauty of Spring but this year I am seeing it with much more awe and wonder thanks to her little eyes. For Chloe everyday is an adventure filled with new and wonderful things. It was hot last weekend and she was able to enjoy buckets of water and the fun of water play outside!

There are so many mysteries of her world that she is yet to experience and it is with delight I am able to watch her explore!

Then there is the gift of having had surgery on my foot, Achilles' tendon surgery that I just couldn't put off any longer. How interesting it is to be a bit "handicapped" only for a short time. First of all I get to experience the struggle of climbing and descending many stairs on one capable foot. I also get to experience the inability to get around without a great deal of effort as well as finding the places I can and can not get into with my knee scooter. I realize how fortunate I am to only be in this position for a short time and that I will have both legs working properly in no time.

I am humbled by accepting help and allowing others to be of service to me. I love to be independent so asking for and accepting help has been quite the lesson for me. I have so much more empathy for others who are more handicapped or just struggling to have a working body.

My mother had RA when I was growing up and I was often embarrassed that she couldn't get around easily like other Moms, now I have a little bit of understanding of her challenges with sore knees, ankles, wrists and elbows. How fortunate I feel to have a body that works with very few aches and pains. Another wonderful gift from this Achilles experience.


Life is full of gifts of wonder and joy if you look for them - please take a moment today and appreciate the gifts you get to experience each day, it makes the days so much better!

Back in January I wrote a blog about my intention of self love for 2015. 

My latest act of self love is to take care of my Achilles tendon that has been troubling me for 8+ years. At first it was just sore so I thought I should stretch it more. Then it began bulging out and so I spent more time icing it and mostly just hoping it would go away. After a trip to Washington DC in March, I couldn't stand to wear any shoes that would touch my heel and struggled with the pain the more I walked, I decided it was time to take action.

I wore a boot for several weeks and then decided to go for the surgery and finally get my Achilles repaired. Today was the day for the surgery and I realized that this is all part of my self love. What a wonderful gift to be able to care for myself in such a way. It is time to address those issues that have been a nag and help my body to feel better and better.

Is there anything you have been ignoring or avoiding? Why not join me in indulging in self love and get them taken care of? 

Each day I write a health tip  (Helen's Health Tips) that has something to do with eating nutrient dense whole foods, making healthy life choices with exercise and sleep and I usually toss in a tip or two of the reflective nature.  I like to talk about the importance of all these elements in maintaining a healthy body, feeling energized and finding joy in our lives. There is often a joke in our family whether certain foods are Helen's Health Tips friendly or not, usually that only happens when we are eating something that is not nutrient dense!! 

Some days I feel like such a fraud because I am not able to follow all of my "rules" about food and I keep changing my food rules in an attempt to get to my goal weight. I find I am so tempted with "bad" foods and tire of the "good" foods or I tire of all the preparation time involved. I try to follow all the different tips and tricks but the reality has been that I have maintained a steady 20 - 30 pounds over my goal weight.

I have tried so many different "diets" and food plans and am still looking for the results. I have gone from Vegan to Paleo and everything in between! I had a time several years ago when I lost 40 pounds and felt amazing but then after a little bit of time my food changed and slowly the weight crept back on. So now here I am always feeling challenged and always judging everything I eat and even more how much I am eating. I can't seem to figure out the best plan and now I am at the point where the weight won't come off even with very mindful healthy eating. 

So now I have purchased Sara Gottfried's book, The Hormone Reset Diet which is about resetting 7 hormones in the body. I am hoping will help me get my body healthier and that the weight will begin to fall away. We will see what happens - I'll let you know and I would love to hear from you as well. Do you have these similar challenges?

Do you ever have those thoughts in your mind that keep repeating over and over like a broken record? I know I might be involved with a project or out for a walk and I find that my mind is stuck on one or two things that I just keep mulling over. I might even be beating myself up mentally or rehashing how I did something wrong or could have done it better. Sometimes it is my father's voice that I hear over and over telling me that I didn't do something good enough or shaming me for not doing something perfectly. Can you tell that I am very familiar with these thoughts? Yes, I find myself sinking into that place more times than not and I stay there until I become aware of what I am doing. These thoughts are my ego thoughts, the thoughts that control me and keep me from being able to hear the quiet voice inside. Once I shake myself out of that repetative trance of the hamster wheel I can then make a conscious effort to change my thoughts and when my thoughts change my whole being changes. 

The shift can be a subtle as looking for things that I am grateful for and writing a mental list of gratitude, or better yet getting out a piece of paper and writing the gratitude list. Or I will look around in wonder at all the beauty around me and thank God for the gifts of this beautiful world. Once i have made that shift in my thinking then my mood and energy improves, I am then able to hear the quiet voice inside of me and get the insight or wisdom that serves me so much more. 

If those negative ego thoughts keep creeping into my mind I then get out a piece of paper (or I even use my notepad on my phone) and write down what those thoughts are and let them go again. I like my life so much more when I am thinking positive happy thoughts, when I am open to hearing that quiet inner voice of truth and when I am making a conscious effort to focus on all that is good around me. 

What are your thoughts today?

I hear many of my friends and acquaintances groan and complain about the constant snow and cold temperatures. On Facebook I read people complaining about all the snow and how envious they are of friends in tropical climates. 

Some days it is sub zero with blowing snow and there is always lots of clean up to do.

Then the sun comes out and it is beautiful.

You are probably wondering where I am going with this!

When we consider these facts "Thoughts Become Things", "What we think about we bring about" and "what we focus on grows" we can consider that the misery of winter will only grows with each passing snowflake. The more we focus on disliking the snow, wind and cold the more it will affect us negatively each day. 

If you are struggling with all this snow and cold I encourage you to shift your thoughts about the weather and see if you can't find a part of winter where you can find pleasure. It is all about our thinking and we are the only ones that can change our thinking. Take a moment today and change one negative thought to a positive thought and see if you can't improve your day. 

A few years ago someone said to me "when I see or hear about snow all I think of is work" and he was truly miserable all winter long. I was shocked as I had never thought of snow in any way except to love it and I especially love to go out and shovel it! I consider shoveling a great cardio workout and I love feeling that muscular soreness the day after. 

I understand the over whelm at the quantity of snow and I also know the satisfaction of completing the job and being able to see the cleared driveway, pathway or sidewalk. It's really all about how you look at it and what your thoughts are.

I think snow and winter is such an excellent opportunity to allow us to shift our thinking and turn it around from the negative to the positive. To focus on the goodness that we can experience with all this amazing white stuff that Mother Nature provides for us. How clean and beautiful the world looks when the snow stops and the sun comes out, the magnificence of a winter wonderland.

When the wind is howling, the snow is drifting and the world around us has shut down we can complain and find so many things that are disturbing us about the day or we can feel the coziness around us and enjoy the day. When we think good thoughts, when we find the good in everything around us then we feel better and enjoy each day a little bit more. 

Next time you are out shoveling your walkway notice how good the workout feels and how glad you are that you are physically capable of shoveling the snow. Watch with joy the children who are playing in the snow, go out and build yourself a snowman that will bring a smile to your face or just enjoy looking at the snow from your window - whatever you do make sure  to notice with gratitude the beauty all around. 

With all these positive thoughts of winter and snow you will be surprised to see how fast the time goes and you will have enjoyed each and everyday of winter. So spend these special days of winter finding the joy and most of all having fun! 

Remember it is all about our thinking and it is our choice to be happy this winter or not!

"I say 'Out' to every negative thought that comes to my mind. No person, place or thing has any power over me, for I am the only thinker in my mind. I create my own reality and everyone in it." ~ Louise Hay

This year is rapidly coming to an end and we are about to turn to a brand new year! 
This year instead of setting resolutions that I break quickly leading to  frustration, negativity and disappointment I am creating intentions or themes for this year.

My number one theme for this year is Self Love.  I often hear people talk about 'self love' and I think silently - yeah, yeah, I love myself all right! This is not about looking myself in the mirror professing my love for myself or leaving notes around with self love on them. This is about taking action that demonstates my self love - you know that action speaks louder than words!

This all came to me when I was at the dentist a few weeks ago.  I am not the best at flossing etc so I have some gum disease that can improve with better home care and more frequent visits to the dentist. I decided I want to take better care of my teeth and gums  with an improved daily regime and that led to the thought that I want to take better care of myself overall. This translates to me as self love.

I have put on weight and I am unhappy with that so naturally part of my self love intention is to release the weight. I am not good at drinking water or I should say drinking enough water and I know the importance of water so another aspect of showing myself love is to keep myself well hydrated.

I have gotten sluggish over the last few months and I want to feel fit, strong and limber so exercise, stretching and yoga are part of my self love as well. Other aspects of my self love intention include taking time regularly to meditate, reading inspiring and motivating books daily(5 or 10 minutes is enough) and taking time for reflection.

I am excited that I have a new found love for myself and look forward to showing it to myself with healthy living actions. I give myself permission to make mistakes and not be perfect as I continue to move towards self love and maintain it as my theme for the year.

What is your theme or intention for this year?