Is hard work bad for your health?

I recently watched the first episode of 30 Days, a program by Morgan Spurlock (the guy who made Super Size Me). In that episode Morgan and his fiancée Alex lived the life of folks who earn minimum wage for a month. Between the two of them, they had three full time jobs as unskilled laborers, yet they barely earned enough to both buy groceries and pay rent for an unfurnished, ant infested apartment in a former crack den. Not only were they needy for material goods, their physical health and relationship suffered.

Morgan Spurlock clocks in (via 30 Days: Minimum Wage)

This got me wondering: Is hard work bad for you? In this case, it was certainly not benefiting Morgan and Alex's lives. They were indisputably working hard but had a standard of life that begs one to question if a stay in prison might be better. At least there they'd be assured three meals and health care.

My Very Un-Zen Meditations in the Omega Labyrinth

My husband and I enjoyed two days of R & R at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY last week. The retreat was a great way to take time out to reconnect with myself and reassess how I spend my (mental, emotional, and physical) energy.

We unplugged, ate wholesome food, and made new friends. We did lots of scheduled group activities like JourneyDance, improv, tai chi, yoga and meditation. We connected with nature by sleeping in a tent cabin surrounded by the sounds of nature, relaxing in a hammock while watching colorful leaves fall, canoeing in the lake, and walking in the woods. We even took a workshop to learn how to strategically align our lives with the phases of the moon.

Our last activity was a group meditative walk through a labyrinth. Labyrinth Society defines a labyrinth as "a single path or unicursal tool for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation." It's also important to note that, unlike a maze, a labyrinth has one path and no dead ends. You slowly walk the winding path, get to the center, and then follow the path back out. You're encouraged to bring a question you would like answered with you.

Here's what the labyrinth at Omega looks like:

photo credit

Frustrated would best describe my state of mind while walking to the center of the labyrinth. You might not be able to tell from the photo but it's probably about 4 yards wide in diameter. It's not that big. Still, it took what felt like forever to get to the middle. Also at some point during the walk in, I decided the question I had brought in with me ("What should I do about my coaching practice?") was completely wrong and insignificant. I was also angry and jealous because everyone else seemed to be in such a peaceful and meditative state. Grrr! I alternated between fantasies of leaping into the center and just walking out (because what was the point anyhow?).

How I Overcame An Eating Disorder

We probably haven’t met in "real life" yet but ask anyone who has met me and they’ll tell you I’m the girl who’s always smiling and giving out hugs like free kittens. They might also tell you I’m a little silly and playful: I wear puppets for mittens. I dance in the aisles of Whole Foods. I drink coffee while doing roller disco. I play ping pong with strangers.

I'm full of confidence and truly enjoy life, but I didn’t always feel this way. I once struggled with anxiety, depression, insecurity, and low self esteem. I used food to manage these feelings. I’m not sure when it all began but when I was three, my whole world changed.

After a fun family night out, we came home to discover our apartment was destroyed in a fire and we became homeless. My parents separated. My older sister was sent to live with her grandmother. My mom and I lived in a shelter. Though soon we found a new home, the experience left me scarred.

Reflecting on 2014 & Setting Intentions for 2015

Last year, I set a lofty list of goals for 2014. I accomplished a lot of things on the list:

• I graduated from Institute of Integrative Nutrition in July and launched a kick ass health coaching practice before I even graduated!
• We moved to Hastings on Hudson, a beautiful town in Westchester. We're now near family and closer to friends in NYC. I've even connected with lots of new friends here.
• I have a Learner's Permit. It's not quite a Driver's License, but I'm on track to get that by the end of January.
• I wrote another eBook: Please Don't Eat the Plastic: A Quick Guide to Detoxing Your Kitchen, which is free for everyone on my email list.
• I've incorporated more self-care into my day. My morning ritual is a total self-lovefest! By drawing boundaries, I am consistently in bed and nearly asleep by 11pm. I certainly breathe more. My husband set up alarms to go off a few times a day so we breathe mindfully and sometimes I Breathe on Purpose with Melissa Danielle. I also started seeing a naturopathic doctor and taking supportive supplements towards achieving a happy menstrual cycle.
• I taught workshops at Herbstalk conference, Lady Project Summit, Learning Connection, and Whole Foods Market on everything from green cleaning to blogging. I've also been a regular presenter of healthy eating and DIY workshops at Pace University dorms. I gained just the right amount of momentum, creds, and confidence to meet my goal of teaching a workshop each week in 2015.

5 Holiday Party Survival Tips That Don't Involve Booze

Holiday parties are awesome. (If catching up with friends over a smorgasbord of cookies is wrong, then I don't wanna be right.) Still, big social situations can be awkward at times. Reaching for a drink as social lubricant can become almost a reflex. Unfortunately, it's not the healthiest choice and it's pretty sad to have to rely on alcohol to talk to people. Plus, I don't know about you, but alcohol has made me say some pretty strange things and made me make out with even stranger people. Not good party etiquette.

I'm actually kinda shy by nature so when I stopped drinking I totally had to teach myself to be outgoing without booze. Here are some tips and tricks I use to make new friends.

Smile.
If you only do one thing, do this. Who doesn't want to get to know a person who is smiling? Happy people are just more attractive/compelling. If you don't feel like smiling, smile anyway. Studies show that smiling can actually make you happier. Also, sharing a smile with someone is an easy way to help him or her feel happier.

Be curious.
Ask people high mileage questions about themselves. High mileage questions are questions that can't be answered with "Yes", "No," or any other single word. A good, and obvious, opening one is "How do you know [the host]?" But don't stop there. When you're a little deeper into conversation try asking: "What are you looking forward to in 2015?"

I've noticed that people really appreciate being listened to. (It's a rare treat!). Asking questions beyond the standard "What do you do?" (which sometimes sounds like "How good are you?" and "Are you worth talking to?") is a great way to make a meaningful connection with someone. It also creates the opportunity to learn something. There are lots of great HMQ in this book, which is technically for coaches, but I sprinkle these in conversation when I'm not coaching too.

Kale Coconut Chocolate Chip Courage Cookies Recipe (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

I overdid it with kale on Thanksgiving. Our T-Day menu included kale fritatta for brunch and a kale salad for dinner.  During the bestover weekend that followed, I probably ate kale at least 8 times.

Days later, looking at the sad remains of a fresh bunch of kale from our farmer's market, I was certain that there was nothing I'd like to eat less than that kale. However, I felt a little guilty about the prospect of letting it waste.

Then I remembered Sarah invited me to participate in The Seasonal Diet's online holiday cookie exchange, another thing I was feeling guilty about because I really wanted to do it but I was so afraid that my cookie recipe would be terrible. (I've never created a cookie recipe before. I also tend to burn cookies.) I feared I would somehow single-handedly destroy my friends' business and ruin my reputation.

After hearing myself out, I reasoned that that is totally improbable. I decided to confront my fears and get over feeling guilty by not continuing the things I was feeling guilty about-- wasting food and being a flake.

And thus the Kale Chocolate Chip Courage Cookie was born! This cookie is delicious for all the reasons sneaking kale into a chocolate smoothie is delicious. (After conceiving the recipe, I checked with Fifty Shades of Kale cookbook to see if kale and chocolate cookies was a real thing and sure enough it was in there. I think my cookie recipe is better, but it's nice to know this kind of treat is tasty to people besides myself and could make it into a published book.)

My husband, who doesn't like weird food combos said, "These are pretty good. You don't really taste the kale." Then continued stuffing his face. That means they're a winner!

These cookies are vegan and gluten-free. They're also free of processed sugar besides that in the chocolate chips.

Read on for the recipe. I hope you'll find the courage to make these unexpected treats.

VIDEO: Your Past Makes You Perfect

You can achieve any dream that comes from a place of love. Do not let your past challenges and current obstacles stop you! The exact reason you have this dream is because you need to experience the self-acceptance and growth necessary to accomplish your goal. (Reaching the goal is almost a secondary benefit.)

Your unique personality and experiences formulate you into a rare medicine that is the cure for something. Your desires are a response to the universe's prayers for this cure. By first appreciating yourself and being willing to transform your challenges into a source of strength, you can make the world a better place.

Every time someone's desire is honored, another person's prayer is answered. (CLICK TO TWEET)

3 Life Lessons My Wedding Taught Me

I got married on Saturday! Here are three things my wedding taught me that I think can be applied to any life situation.

Everyone has a different idea of what's awesome. 

If you're planning a wedding, or any other major life event, most people are more than willing to share this idea with you, sans solicitation. Generally, I'm not a fan of giving or receiving unsolicited advice, but it was interesting to hear what makes other people happy. There's a pretty big diversity of dreams out there. Hearing them helped me get a clearer and stronger sense of what I wanted. It also reminded me how important it is to ask questions and listen to others when they are floundering and seeking guidance. The answers are inside of them. It's just up to us to support and empower them to find the answers that will fit their definition of success and joy. 

People love to help others.

They really do. One of the nicest things you can do is let others help you. For me, that's pretty dang hard. I have a natural inclination to "sweat the small stuff" and worry about things being done my way. I chant everyday to help my use my attention to detail for good as well as to be able to take a chill pill sometimes. 

You can't do everything yourself. Sometimes you've just got to let other people help you. Yeah, they won't do it exactly as you would've done it. (Perhaps they'll do it better!) In the end, those details don't really matter as much as the loving bonds that are strengthened. In this age of automation, a time when almost any service can be purchased, it's rare and precious to have an occasion when people can really show up for you. Let the love rain in, feel the abundance, and let that give you the energy to pay it forward. 

Don't expect to be happy just because you're getting what you wanted.

How to Create a Life You Love

Do you know you are a brilliant artist? My Buddhist practice has taught me you are constantly creating your world with your words and actions, and even your thoughts.

Remembering this, pull out your magic markers and draw up something bold and beautiful for yourself. Let your wrist get giddy with excitement, causing you to color beyond the edges of the paper, enjoying the freedom of exploring, being big, and making room for beautiful imperfection. Absolutely sprinkle some glitter all over everything! And certainty, do it without apology, without shame, and without concern that so-and-so might not like you because you didn't include her favorite colors. (Feel free to point out to So-And-So that she has her own paper and markers too.)

You are powerful and magical. You can create a life you love by being bold enough to live it. (Click to tweet.)

If you read that and think, "Yeah, that's great, but I'm afraid," I want you to know that shaking in your boots while taking baby steps toward a life you love also totally counts!

As my graduation from Institute for Integrative Nutrition's Health Coach Training Program grows closer (it's tonight!) and as I build my coaching practice, I feel more and more conscious of- and grateful for- my magic markers. I graffiti doors onto brick walls. I turn periods into question marks. I create possibility.

I'm Taking a Social Media Chill Pill

Over the last two years, I've become a natural at using social media marketing to position myself as an authority in natural living and to promote my emerging health coaching service. I faithfully posted to Facebook and Twitter at least a dozen times a day. I entered a new blog post every weekday. I shared images and articles via Instagram and Pinterest several times a week.

I have over 700 likes on my Facebook fan page and over 700 Twitter followers. I've got a few hundred followers on other social media platforms and my mailing list too. To the outside online observer, it looks like I really have my shiitake together.

Unfortunately, social media success does not equal career success. I'm not in the business of acquiring social media followers. I'm in the business of helping people discover the freedom to live guided by their passion and purpose.

When I slowed down long enough to let this sink in, I realized I was abusing social media. I was busying myself with tasks that were comfortable and without risk to trick myself into believing I was making progress. Meanwhile, I was avoiding scary new territory that was full of risk of possible rejection. Of course, there was plenty to gain by putting myself out there. In fact, success as a health coach, and as a human being who takes responsibility for her freedom, requires taking risks.

Overcoming Fear of Flying

A few months ago, I dreamed I could fly. It wasn't one of those typical dreams where one weaves between trees and soars over mountains. I didn't see or feel myself flying. Still, I knew I could fly. It was an intellectual understanding of the fact that I was physically capable of flying.

Here's the kicker: I never actually flew in the dream. There were moments where it would've been really cool to fly. I forget the exact details now, but I remember feeling like a sad sack of potatoes for not taking those opportunities to do it.

I didn't fly because I was afraid. Even though I knew I could fly, I was afraid to do it because I'd never done it before. Also, no one else around me could fly. I worried they would think I was weird. That was also scary.

This dream came when I was experiencing more firsts than I'd experienced in a long time and there were even more in the horizon. So many possibilities have been presented to me this year. I've taken some chances that felt precisely like jumping off a cliff. Truth be told, I've also had moments where I did the equivalent of hiding in a cave.

When You Walk Into a Room Everyone is Blessed

I recently attended IIN Live and listened two days of lectures from a dozen or so amazing leaders in the health and happiness movement. I studiously took notes on the good guidance I received, with optimism that at some point I'll review them so what I heard will sink in better, but one message was instantly engraved in my heart.

"Become the person that when you walk into a room everyone is blessed." -Tosha Silver, author of Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead.

I love this quote because it demands us to be big, confident, and put ourselves out there. It requires using muscles I feel I wasn't encouraged, raised, or educated to buff up. I think a lot of other women reading this can relate. (Holler if you hear me!)

I also love the Tosha Silver quote because it engages the imagination and spirit. It's not a "do blank and be awesome" command. We need advice and more things to do like we need a hole in the head! Instead Tosha invokes the questions, How can I do this? How can I be a blessing to everyone I encounter? And trust me, you know the answer.

Since I can't turn into a cat, for me becoming the person that walks into a room and everyone is blessed means...

I'm Gonna Wear The Same Thing Every Day

I'm talking about my engagement ring. My fiance and I picked it out together this weekend. It was super important for me to not have a ring that is made from new gold or diamonds for humanitarian and environmental reasons. Overwhelmed and unimpressed by the new jewelry made from recycled gold on the internet, we finally dropped into Reliable Gold here in Providence which sells antique and estate jewelry to see what they had.

I fell in love with this awesome ring with citrine gemstones, wee diamonds, and yellow gold. I was drawn to it- the color and the shape- and it felt perfectly light on my finger. I knew I would want to wear this for the rest of my life.

After a little research, I discovered citrine is a gem that improves energy flow into the solar plexus chakra. Healing Crystals for You reports that the solar plexus chakra is the area where responsibility for others, caring for others, personal honor and courage emerge. I think all those qualities are so important for being a good life partner. The energy of this chakra is about personal power and self esteem, manifestation, creativity and feeling centered. I'm psyched to have this on my finger!

Wanna Look Like a Cover Model?

Upworthy gave four women "cover model" makeovers complete with professional hair, make up, and some serious Photoshopping. They then made this video of their reactions to the final photos.

SPOILER ALERT: The women weren't pleased with the photos, even though the physical features they griped about earlier were gone.




At first I didn't see the big deal. The women didn't look that different in the final photos. When I watched the video again I noticed the things that made them quirky, and stand out, were gone. Freckles disappeared along with curves and smile lines.

3 Ways to Invite More Love into Your Life

 

Happy Valentine's Day! Wishing you a day full of love!

If you're feeling like you could use a little extra love, stop and smell the flowers. Wildflowers might be hard to come by in the winter, but there are lots of equally lovely things in your life.

Here are three ways to experience more love. They are all free and don't require any extra time or a partner. They just require more awareness.

Allow yourself to fully enjoy things with all of your senses.
Love is sensual. Sensuality is experiencing your senses. How cozy and soft is your favorite sweater or scarf? What does chocolate feel like as it melts on your tongue? Enjoy the smell of herbs and the sight of vibrant colors in your dinner. My favorite sensual food experience is the way the texture of kale changes as I massage olive oil and lemon into it.

How Much More Awesome Do You Want to Be in July?

My school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, recently released this incredible guide, 6-Month Roadmap to Health & Happiness. It's the snazziest guide I've seen from them yet!

The roadmap focuses on nourishing yourself with whole foods and creating balance in all areas of your life. This unique guide provides monthly wellness recommendations to help you gradually improve your health over the course of 6 months.

Sound good? Get your guide here! It's totally free.  

What are 3 wellness goals you plan to achieve by July?  If you shoot me an email, I'll even help keep you accountable. 

Thanks so much for reading this blog entry! I hope it was helpful. Let's stay connected: Newsletter // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin' // YouTube

Consider supporting this blog by shopping via my Amazon shop or buying my green cleaning eBook. Thanks.

BeMOCreative Weeks 2-4: The Artist's Way Check In

It's mid-Week 5 of the #BeMOCreative group journey through The Artist's Way that I'm co-hosting with my friend health coach Melissa Danielle. The last time I did a check in was Week 1. Eek! We are long overdue for a check in.

Overall things are going well. Despite the fact that I need something added to my morning ritual like I need a hole in the head, I've managed to do The Morning Pages, a three page free write upon rising, about 5 days each week and learned a little about myself in the process. I also recommitted to taking a break each weekday afternoon to do a moving meditation followed by a little one song dance party.

I'm just beginning to feel the benefits of these small changes. I'm much more at ease balancing work, study, fun, faith, and doing absolutely nothing. Life feels just a bit lighter. I'm noticing random opportunities for fun and growth popping up in many places. I'm proud to say I'm taking quite a few of them too!

I haven't done all the weekly tasks for any week so far, but I'm okay with that. Rome wasn't built in a day or even 12 weeks. I'm happy with the progress I'm making. The weekly check-in calls have been a great motivation for me to stay on track.

Keep reading for more highlights of my experience weeks 2 through 4.

7 Benefits of Blogging Your Hobby

I'm teaching an intro to blogging class Saturday at Learning Connection on Wayland Square in Providence on Saturday 12-3pm. The class is called "Blog Your Hobby" and you can still register here. I'd love to have you!

So excited about and grateful for this opportunity to guide hobbyist as they begin their journey of sharing their passions with the world.

The benefits of starting a blog based on your hobby are many. Here are just a few that I've experienced:

• Begin flexing your "I Do What I Love" muscles. This is going to help you grow in so many areas beyond blogging and your hobby. Buffing these muscles strengthens you to pursue any other dreams so you can create a life you love.
• Increase self-confidence. 
• Confront and overcome fear of being judged.

I'm a Buddhist.

I practice Nichiren Buddhism with Soka Gakki International (SGI). At every monthly discussion meeting, we share an experience of faith. I shared mine on Saturday. I wanted to share it with you here today too.

I was first introduced to Nichiren Buddhism and SGI by a fellow student in a writing workshop. My mom had been diagnosed with lung cancer and I was feeling desperate to help her. My classmate compassionately suggested I chant and invited me to her house to show me how to do it.

We met one morning and chanted Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo side by side. I chanted that I wanted my mom to have a successful surgery and to be healthy and happy. I threw in that I wanted the owner of the shop I worked at, to hire me to organize her office. I’d just started a cleaning & organizing service and the chaos of her office had been driving me crazy for years.

When I got to work later that day, the shop ower told me she wanted to support my business and asked me to organize her office. My mom had her surgery in a couple of weeks. They removed ⅔ of her left lung and she recovered quickly. She hasn’t had any problems with her lungs since. Within a few months of her surgery, she also got treated for a thyroid condition. Her disposition switched from being negative, depressed, and anxious to positive, happy, and hopeful. I hadn’t known my mom to be this way in at least 17 years.

Are You Really Living MLK's Dream?

Yesterday, I was thinking about Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, specifically this sentence: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

I couldn't resist wondering if I'm living MLK's dream. Do I judge others based on their character- on who they really are- instead of how they appear on the outside? Think so.

Do I judge myself on my character instead of my appearance? It's been a journey.

I used to judge myself harshly on how I looked. A a child, I had "ugly" teeth. As a pre-teen, I was "flat" and I had "bad" skin. By 16, I was suddenly curvy and not thin enough, even when I got down from 135 to 101 pounds. There were many times I used the way I looked as a reason to not spend time with friends, to not eat nourishing foods, to not pursue interests. In short, I used my appearance as a reason to not fully love myself.

And by "reason," I mean, reason. It felt totally sane and logical to tell myself something was "wrong" with me and therefor I didn't deserve to live life with the same freedom and happiness that a more attractive person should have. How crazy is that?