My birthday was last weekend and once we get into our 30s and beyond I think many of us tend to reflect on our lives when we have a birthday. Where are we? Where do we want to go? Are we happy? Have we accomplished all that we wish to accomplish? I know I tend to do this and I like it because it becomes a good inventory of where I am and the direction in which I am heading.
I am now 37 and since I plan on living till I am well past 100, I am only slightly past the 1/3 point in my life. That means I still have TONS of time to do the things I want to do and see the things I want to see. The past year or two has been really rough for me financially, but slowly, slowly I am beginning to see the light and things are getting better. With that increasing sense of security comes an increasing desire to explore life (which is hard to do when you are truly struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table).
What is in my future? I plan to train as a holistic nutritionist and possibly a personal trainer and/or a yoga instructor. I want to become very involved in the natural health movement, do research on diet and nutrition as they relate to health and wellness, and write books, attend conferences, speaking engagements, and study, in depth, the ideal diet that humans are designed for, the one we have evolved to eat.
OK, so that's a lot to accomplish, but I've got the time and the passion. Aside from this I want to get into rock climbing, kayaking, canoing, run marathons, travel the world,buy a house (maybe a farm), possibly open a retreat centre one day, and live to enjoy my great grandchildren :-) And I am sure I will find many more things to do with my life as time goes on, as I reflect on future birthdays. For now I will enjoy my children as they grow into amazing young women and I will keep moving forward so that I can accomplish all of my hopes and dreams.
I encourage everyone to take the time to reflect on life, whether on your birthday or another point in life. It can be so easy to allow ourselves to get caught up in the day-to-day business of living that we forget to slow down and take the time, but when we do this we grow and flourish inside and out. Take care and Happy Easter to those who celebrate it :-)
Find your passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Let's Talk About Stress
OK, I need to talk about stress, partly so that I can de-stress due to my busy, stressful past few days and next few days to come. Who knows, I might actually take a few days to write this all out, but here it goes. Stress -- we all experience it from time to time and we should. If we never experienced any stress and we never had any problems we would be dead because life doesn't happen without stress and problems. That being said, there is good stress and bad stress. Good stress is planning your wedding and getting married, buying your first home, having a baby, getting a new job. These are all great and are short-term stresses that end and about which we all feel good.
So what about the bad stress? Well, often times these are short-term too, such as the death of a loved one (depending on the circumstances), having to meet a deadline at work, or going for a job interview. These too are OK and our bodies are designed to handle stress on a short-term basis. Then, once the stress is gone, our bodies have time to rest and recover from that stress.
Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. I can surely attest to that. I think that it is very common for people to undergo chronic stress in our present society. Job stress day in and day out, financial stress that doesn't go away, caring for a sick loved one, getting a divorce and dealing with all the repercussions that can go with that. These are long-term stresses that wear away at the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Now, I am not planning on discussing the physiological aspects of stress, the chemicals that the body releases and their effects. That is important, but I want to talk about it from a real level of dealing with it. I have personally been dealing with long-term stress for a couple of years now in the form of financial stress. I have literally known what it is like to go through each and every month not paying my rent on time, running so low on groceries that we hardly had anything to eat, getting those nasty red cards from the hydro company. It has been really tough to catch up and over time it wears away at a person.
Fortunately, I have good coping mechanisms and I handle stress well. That coupled with a healthy diet and exercise (a.k.a. a healthy lifestyle) has seen me through the worst of it in fairly good shape physically, mentally, and emotionally. If it wasn't for the healthy lifestyle, I can honestly say that I would have had a nervous breakdown many months ago.
Of course, things are getting better, but slowly. I used to homeschool my girls, but now they are in school so that I can spend more time working and improve my financial situation. Thankfully, they really enjoy school and I have been able to really start catching up on bills and other things that have been outstanding. Whew! However, I have been able to experience first hand that basic of all stresses, the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need to provide the very basics of life. That level of stress is beyond terrible while you are experiencing it and when you are, it is sometimes very difficult to care for yourself.
I guess that's why I am writing this. Sometimes during the stress I have felt very alone, not being able to imagine that anyone else is in this situation. I know that isn't true, but there it is. I know there are others out there who are experiencing financial stress and other types of long-term stress and I want to send the message that if you are experiencing stress, whether short-term or long-term, please, please still make the time to care for yourself. Even if it feels that you are spending time doing something you just don't have the time for, do it anyway. In the end it will give you more energy, help you focus better on the task at hand, and help to improve your situation overall.
If it hadn't been for my ability to run and to eat a very healthy, often high raw diet, I would be so much the worse for wear. I am also very good at taking negative energy, that poor me and the fear that goes along with financial stress, and channeling it into moving forward one step at a time and getting done the things I must get done to improve my situation. Sometimes I feel like giving up and giving in, but I always manage to pull myself out of it and life is looking better than it has in a long time. I encourage anyone else experiencing stress to care for themselves even when it feels like the last thing they should be doing because really and truly, it is the first thing you should be doing.
Find you passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
So what about the bad stress? Well, often times these are short-term too, such as the death of a loved one (depending on the circumstances), having to meet a deadline at work, or going for a job interview. These too are OK and our bodies are designed to handle stress on a short-term basis. Then, once the stress is gone, our bodies have time to rest and recover from that stress.
Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. I can surely attest to that. I think that it is very common for people to undergo chronic stress in our present society. Job stress day in and day out, financial stress that doesn't go away, caring for a sick loved one, getting a divorce and dealing with all the repercussions that can go with that. These are long-term stresses that wear away at the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Now, I am not planning on discussing the physiological aspects of stress, the chemicals that the body releases and their effects. That is important, but I want to talk about it from a real level of dealing with it. I have personally been dealing with long-term stress for a couple of years now in the form of financial stress. I have literally known what it is like to go through each and every month not paying my rent on time, running so low on groceries that we hardly had anything to eat, getting those nasty red cards from the hydro company. It has been really tough to catch up and over time it wears away at a person.
Fortunately, I have good coping mechanisms and I handle stress well. That coupled with a healthy diet and exercise (a.k.a. a healthy lifestyle) has seen me through the worst of it in fairly good shape physically, mentally, and emotionally. If it wasn't for the healthy lifestyle, I can honestly say that I would have had a nervous breakdown many months ago.
Of course, things are getting better, but slowly. I used to homeschool my girls, but now they are in school so that I can spend more time working and improve my financial situation. Thankfully, they really enjoy school and I have been able to really start catching up on bills and other things that have been outstanding. Whew! However, I have been able to experience first hand that basic of all stresses, the base of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need to provide the very basics of life. That level of stress is beyond terrible while you are experiencing it and when you are, it is sometimes very difficult to care for yourself.
I guess that's why I am writing this. Sometimes during the stress I have felt very alone, not being able to imagine that anyone else is in this situation. I know that isn't true, but there it is. I know there are others out there who are experiencing financial stress and other types of long-term stress and I want to send the message that if you are experiencing stress, whether short-term or long-term, please, please still make the time to care for yourself. Even if it feels that you are spending time doing something you just don't have the time for, do it anyway. In the end it will give you more energy, help you focus better on the task at hand, and help to improve your situation overall.
If it hadn't been for my ability to run and to eat a very healthy, often high raw diet, I would be so much the worse for wear. I am also very good at taking negative energy, that poor me and the fear that goes along with financial stress, and channeling it into moving forward one step at a time and getting done the things I must get done to improve my situation. Sometimes I feel like giving up and giving in, but I always manage to pull myself out of it and life is looking better than it has in a long time. I encourage anyone else experiencing stress to care for themselves even when it feels like the last thing they should be doing because really and truly, it is the first thing you should be doing.
Find you passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
Friday, 8 April 2011
What Your Fingernails Tell You about Your Health
I am fascinated with nutrition as it relates to health. I don't know if I can pinpoint one specific incident that put me onto this path. It has been more as if someone has gradually steered me onto it and pointed me in the right direction. I am learning that there are a myriad of signs and symptoms that tell a person if they are deficient in vitamins or minerals and that if you know how to read them, you can improve your overall level of health.
The state of your fingernails is one easy way to determine your level of health and nutrition. You just need to know what to look for. So, what can your fingernails tell you? Well, have you ever had those white spots on your fingernails? Those are generally a sign of either zinc or iron deficiency. Those annoying hangnails? A sign of vitamin C deficiency. Splitting and peeling nails? Any one of vitamin A, C, or D deficiency or calcium, iron, or protein deficiency. Flat nails can indicate iron, protein, or vitamin B12 deficiency. Nails curving up can indicate iron or zinc deficiency and nails curving down can indicate vitamin B12 deficiency.
This is just the tip of the ice burg and it is important to realize that there are other more serious underlying health problems that can cause these types of nail abnormalities, but much of the time it is a simple vitamin or mineral deficiency that can easily be solved. And vitamin and mineral deficiencies can actually cause the more serious underlying health problems. You can always contact your doctor if you have any concerns about it.
This all fascinates me so much and I haven't even gotten into hair and skin health yet. My goal in life is to train as a holistic nutritionist and continue my own self-learning and self-development and one day work with people to improve their level of health simply through changing their diet and supplementing where necessary. I truly believe that getting the right amounts of vitamins and minerals is a huge part of our health and that deficiencies in these are the cause of many of our major health issues.
So onward with my studying and nutritionist training next year so that I can move into a career of helping others achieve optimal health and fitness. :-)
Find your passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
The state of your fingernails is one easy way to determine your level of health and nutrition. You just need to know what to look for. So, what can your fingernails tell you? Well, have you ever had those white spots on your fingernails? Those are generally a sign of either zinc or iron deficiency. Those annoying hangnails? A sign of vitamin C deficiency. Splitting and peeling nails? Any one of vitamin A, C, or D deficiency or calcium, iron, or protein deficiency. Flat nails can indicate iron, protein, or vitamin B12 deficiency. Nails curving up can indicate iron or zinc deficiency and nails curving down can indicate vitamin B12 deficiency.
This is just the tip of the ice burg and it is important to realize that there are other more serious underlying health problems that can cause these types of nail abnormalities, but much of the time it is a simple vitamin or mineral deficiency that can easily be solved. And vitamin and mineral deficiencies can actually cause the more serious underlying health problems. You can always contact your doctor if you have any concerns about it.
This all fascinates me so much and I haven't even gotten into hair and skin health yet. My goal in life is to train as a holistic nutritionist and continue my own self-learning and self-development and one day work with people to improve their level of health simply through changing their diet and supplementing where necessary. I truly believe that getting the right amounts of vitamins and minerals is a huge part of our health and that deficiencies in these are the cause of many of our major health issues.
So onward with my studying and nutritionist training next year so that I can move into a career of helping others achieve optimal health and fitness. :-)
Find your passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Passion and Values
I am inspired! I am inspired by all the incredible women whom I am privileged to call my friends. I am inspired by the athletes I know. I am inspired by amazing journeys that I see people undertaking. I am inspired by my children. I am taking time these days to determine how I want to live my life. I guess I have been through this before and will go through it many more times throughout my life. It is about assessing my values and determining whether I am living according to those values. If I am, then great. I deserve a pat on the back. If I'm not, then I have some serious thinking to do and then I need to make some changes in my life.
It is my ultimate goal to live a simple life that is as self-sustaining as I can make it. That is so hard sometimes, especially when I am stressed and not just going with the flow. The past year has been very stressful for me and I am taking a few months to come down from it. When a person is stressed over literally providing the basic necessities of life, often those high ideals and values fall to the wayside. I am ready to take them back up and walk proudly with them.
I have committed to not buying a car for the entire calendar year. I may never buy one again, who knows (at least not until they make a battery powered one that is affordable). I'll take it a year at a time and enjoy living without one. And whenever I see the price of gas, I am truly grateful for my bike, Blue Betty :-) I also want to physically thrive and see what this body can do, where I can take it. I am excited about the possibilities that await me.
What other ways am I trying to live according to my values? I have taken a plot at our community garden and will also garden in flower boxes. I think I might even set up a little greenhouse on my back deck next winter. Otherwise I will try to buy locally whenever possible and support the local farmer and the local vendors and business people. I am also considering go vegan again and will commit to a minimum of 50% living foods in my diet. I will dry my clothes outside on my deck. I will bike and walk wherever possible and use public transportation when I need it. I do and will continue to buy clothes second hand. I will make an effort to use as little electricity as possible. I will support ethical companies and avoid those whose practices go against my values. Finally, I will strive to pass these values onto my children.
Of course, many of these things I have been doing for many months and even years now, but I find myself growing lazy recently. It is time for me to wake up and take charge again to craft the life I want to live. Here's to a life of value and a life filled with passion and love!
Find your passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
It is my ultimate goal to live a simple life that is as self-sustaining as I can make it. That is so hard sometimes, especially when I am stressed and not just going with the flow. The past year has been very stressful for me and I am taking a few months to come down from it. When a person is stressed over literally providing the basic necessities of life, often those high ideals and values fall to the wayside. I am ready to take them back up and walk proudly with them.
I have committed to not buying a car for the entire calendar year. I may never buy one again, who knows (at least not until they make a battery powered one that is affordable). I'll take it a year at a time and enjoy living without one. And whenever I see the price of gas, I am truly grateful for my bike, Blue Betty :-) I also want to physically thrive and see what this body can do, where I can take it. I am excited about the possibilities that await me.
What other ways am I trying to live according to my values? I have taken a plot at our community garden and will also garden in flower boxes. I think I might even set up a little greenhouse on my back deck next winter. Otherwise I will try to buy locally whenever possible and support the local farmer and the local vendors and business people. I am also considering go vegan again and will commit to a minimum of 50% living foods in my diet. I will dry my clothes outside on my deck. I will bike and walk wherever possible and use public transportation when I need it. I do and will continue to buy clothes second hand. I will make an effort to use as little electricity as possible. I will support ethical companies and avoid those whose practices go against my values. Finally, I will strive to pass these values onto my children.
Of course, many of these things I have been doing for many months and even years now, but I find myself growing lazy recently. It is time for me to wake up and take charge again to craft the life I want to live. Here's to a life of value and a life filled with passion and love!
Find your passion. Love your passion. Live your passion.
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