Your life is your choice.
How often have we felt helpless in the face of everything that seems to hold us back? The past, the present, money, relationships, weight, appearance, self-esteem, education, connections – we can come up with so many reasons for why we aren’t successful.
The power to transcend all of that and become who you were meant to be lies within you and the choices you make. Ultimately, you assign meaning to your circumstances; they don’t assign meaning to you. No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve been through, you can start today and make your life an expression of possibility, fulfillment, success, and love.
Preparation is a demonstration of faith because true faith is revealed through action. We’ve heard about the countless visualization techniques out there, but the most revealing demonstration of faith is whether you’re prepared to receive what you say you want. What do you believe to be true about your life? Is there tangible evidence of that belief? Let’s say you ordered a sofa today and it was scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. How would you prepare? You’d move the old sofa out, right? You’d clear out the tables and lamps so that the movers could bring the sofa straight through the door and into the space you had set aside for it. You’d want to be sure you were home so the movers could get in to make the delivery. You would be ready. Are you ready for what you want to receive in your life? Your blessings are on the way, but are you ready? Are you in the right place to receive your blessings? Your destiny is racing towards you just as quickly as you’re racing towards it! Have you done the preparation for your blessings to come flowing easily and quickly into your life? Remember that we don’t get what we want; we get what we prepare for.
Keep your inspiration close. What really inspires you? What makes you feel completely alive? What makes your spirit sing? Even the most successful people will tell you that they’ve had tough days or even tough years. We’ve all been through seasons that tested the very essence of our spirit and left us wondering whether we were on the right path. But you’re here, and you’re still moving forward. Discover what inspires and awakens you and keep it close. When you feel sad, drained, angry, or frustrated, turn to those things, people, places, and ideas to keep you focused and positive.
Take consistent action. Now is the time. Think about it: Everything that happened yesterday is in the past. It’s over and done with and can’t be reclaimed. And the future isn’t here yet – it hasn’t happened so your only power over it is limited to a present intention. That means that all you truly have is NOW. And what are you doing with your now? Memories are better than regrets – memories are nothing more than a series of really great “now”s – invest your mental and emotional energy into the now and begin to see now as the greatest gift to be, do, and have the abundance life has to offer. When you catch yourself worrying, ask yourself, "What am I avoiding now by using up this moment with worry?" Then take specific action.
Your life is your choice; choose wisely.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Since you’re an Inspired Lifer, I want you to live forever. Really I do. I think people who are showing up in the world, making meaningful contributions, and playing a BIG game should be around for as long as possible so they can continue to impact the world in a positive way. But alas, forever young is but a fantasy…but that doesn’t mean that you can’t slow down or even reverse the aging process.
You may be aware that the Inspired Living Challenge is on the horizon (7/7 is the official date we’ll get going!) and if you participated last year, you probably remember what I had to say about sugar. Welp, I’m saying it again.
SUGAR is your body’s worst enemy. Now if a murderer or thief wanted to come and hang out at your home, you’d probably object. Consider sugar the murderer and thief – it’s been caught stealing a youthful appearances and it’s been convicted of murdering health.
There are an infinite number of “healthy” lifestyle choices you could make – cutting out alcohol, exercising more often, cutting out red meat (and eventually I’ll address all of these – exciting huh?) but if you had to make only one choice, eliminating processed sugar would be a lifesaving choice.
So you’re probably going, “Yeah ok, Lisa, it sounds great now, but it won’t be quite as inspiring when I’m starving and just want to grab a candy bar.” You’re right. And that’s why I’m supplying the tips below to help you over the hump. It’s also why I’m sharing these 76 reasons sugar ruins your health…because you can’t have too much motivation.
-Eat 4-6 small meals during the day. Craving sugar and binging often comes from a dip in energy levels, but consuming refined sugar causes a spike in insulin levels which speeds up aging, inside and out.
- Drink water help curb sugar cravings. You’d be surprised how much a little water will do for you. Sometimes we’re reaching for sugar because we really want a snack and water is filling and energizing.
-Find alternatives to your usual sugary treats. If you’re a cookie monster, seek out natural, honey sweetened cookies to replace your Oreos. If you’re a candy connoisseur (I sympathize with you because I used to be addicted – been clean since 2007!), find organic fruit snacks and natural candy that contains simple fruit juices. It’s next to impossible to break a bad habit without replacing it with a good one so set yourself up for success by finding your alternatives first, then making the switch.
-Before reaching for sugar, try eating protein or having a small meal. If you crave something sweet, try fruit! It's called nature's candy for good reason. Pause periodically to ponder the good choice you're making for your health!
And if all else fails, read this list. Like I said, you’re an Inspired Lifer and you know that health is a fundamental principle to living well. So, get off the white stuff and turn back the clock!
You may be aware that the Inspired Living Challenge is on the horizon (7/7 is the official date we’ll get going!) and if you participated last year, you probably remember what I had to say about sugar. Welp, I’m saying it again.
SUGAR is your body’s worst enemy. Now if a murderer or thief wanted to come and hang out at your home, you’d probably object. Consider sugar the murderer and thief – it’s been caught stealing a youthful appearances and it’s been convicted of murdering health.
There are an infinite number of “healthy” lifestyle choices you could make – cutting out alcohol, exercising more often, cutting out red meat (and eventually I’ll address all of these – exciting huh?) but if you had to make only one choice, eliminating processed sugar would be a lifesaving choice.
So you’re probably going, “Yeah ok, Lisa, it sounds great now, but it won’t be quite as inspiring when I’m starving and just want to grab a candy bar.” You’re right. And that’s why I’m supplying the tips below to help you over the hump. It’s also why I’m sharing these 76 reasons sugar ruins your health…because you can’t have too much motivation.
-Eat 4-6 small meals during the day. Craving sugar and binging often comes from a dip in energy levels, but consuming refined sugar causes a spike in insulin levels which speeds up aging, inside and out.
- Drink water help curb sugar cravings. You’d be surprised how much a little water will do for you. Sometimes we’re reaching for sugar because we really want a snack and water is filling and energizing.
-Find alternatives to your usual sugary treats. If you’re a cookie monster, seek out natural, honey sweetened cookies to replace your Oreos. If you’re a candy connoisseur (I sympathize with you because I used to be addicted – been clean since 2007!), find organic fruit snacks and natural candy that contains simple fruit juices. It’s next to impossible to break a bad habit without replacing it with a good one so set yourself up for success by finding your alternatives first, then making the switch.
-Before reaching for sugar, try eating protein or having a small meal. If you crave something sweet, try fruit! It's called nature's candy for good reason. Pause periodically to ponder the good choice you're making for your health!
And if all else fails, read this list. Like I said, you’re an Inspired Lifer and you know that health is a fundamental principle to living well. So, get off the white stuff and turn back the clock!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Are you unmoved by appearances?
I recently had a situation come up that fascinated me. I thought I wanted one thing – I had prepared for this thing and put all of my ducks in a row. And, for some reason, it all fell apart. I didn’t get what I wanted. Rather than spend time being disappointed, I moved on, trusting that the perfect thing was on its way. A week later, a tremendous opportunity presented itself, and that thing has panned out beautifully.
I share that story with you to preface today’s e-zine topic and the topic of an upcoming Inspiration Note (not familiar with Inspiration Notes? Click here to view previous notes on Youtube): Being Unmoved By Appearances.
In a previous e-zine, I talked about the importance of faith – the necessity of believe in yourself, your dreams, and God as you ascend to the heights of your destiny. The challenge is that trusting in the invisible is such a tremendous mental and emotional leap for most of us. However, the truth of having faith is that when you choose to be unmoved by appearances, appearances move.
What new ways can you exercise your faith? In what areas of your life is a lack of faith holding you back from making the choices you need to back?
When you exercise faith to see the invisible, you prepare yourself to SEE the invisible.
Inspired Journaling Prompt: List 2 areas of your life that need a new demonstration of faith. Write about the choices you would make and actions you would take if you had complete faith that everything was working in your favor.
Inspired Action: EXERCISE that faith! Take specific actions this week that will power you toward an even more Inspired Life! You create your reality every day with your believes and choices so choose power!
I share that story with you to preface today’s e-zine topic and the topic of an upcoming Inspiration Note (not familiar with Inspiration Notes? Click here to view previous notes on Youtube): Being Unmoved By Appearances.
In a previous e-zine, I talked about the importance of faith – the necessity of believe in yourself, your dreams, and God as you ascend to the heights of your destiny. The challenge is that trusting in the invisible is such a tremendous mental and emotional leap for most of us. However, the truth of having faith is that when you choose to be unmoved by appearances, appearances move.
What new ways can you exercise your faith? In what areas of your life is a lack of faith holding you back from making the choices you need to back?
When you exercise faith to see the invisible, you prepare yourself to SEE the invisible.
Inspired Journaling Prompt: List 2 areas of your life that need a new demonstration of faith. Write about the choices you would make and actions you would take if you had complete faith that everything was working in your favor.
Inspired Action: EXERCISE that faith! Take specific actions this week that will power you toward an even more Inspired Life! You create your reality every day with your believes and choices so choose power!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
76 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health
76 Additional Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health
In addition to throwing off your body's homeostasis and wreaking havoc on your metabolic processes, excess sugar has a number of other significant consequences.
Nancy Appleton, PhD, author of the book Lick the Sugar Habit[5], contributed an extensive list of the many ways sugar can ruin your health from a vast number of medical journals and other scientific publications.
1. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.[6] [7]
2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.[8] [9] [10] [11]
3. Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.[12] [13]
4. Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.[14] [15] [16] [17]
5. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.[18]
6. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]
7. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.[26] [27]
8. Sugar can weaken eyesight.[28] 1
9. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.[29] [30] [31] [32] [33]
10. Sugar can cause premature aging.[34] In fact, the single most important factor that accelerates aging is insulin, which is triggered by sugar. 1
11. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.[35]
12. Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.[36] [37] [38]
13. Sugar contributes to obesity. [39] 1
14. Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis.[40] [41] [42]
15. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections) [43]
16. Sugar can cause gallstones.[44]
17. Sugar can cause appendicitis.[45]
18. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.[46]
19. Sugar can cause varicose veins.[47]
20. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.[48]
21. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.[49]
22. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.[50] [51] [52]
23. Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.[53]
24. Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.[54]
25. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.[55]
26. High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs),which are sugar molecules that attach to and damage proteins in your body. AGEs speed up the aging of cells, which may contribute to a variety of chronic and fatal diseases. [56] 1
27. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.[57]
28. Sugar causes food allergies.[58]
29. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.[59]
30. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.[60]
31. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.[61] [62]
32. Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.[63]
33. Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.[64] [65]
34. Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.[66]
35. Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.[67] [68]
36. Sugar can cause emphysema.[69]
37. High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.[70]
38. Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.[71]
39. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.[72]
40. Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide, and it can increase the amount of fat in your liver, leading to fatty liver disease.[73] [74]
41. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.[75] [76] Fructose is helping to drive up rates of kidney disease. 1
42. Sugar can damage your pancreas.[77]
43. Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.[78]
44. Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.[79]
45. Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.[80]
46. Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.[81]
47. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.[82]
48. Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect your children's grades and cause learning disorders.[83] [84]
49. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves, which can alter your ability to think clearly.[85]
50. Sugar can cause depression.[86]
51. Sugar can increase your risk of gout.[87]
52. Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.[88] MRI studies show that adults 60 and older who have high uric acid are four to five times more likely to have vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s.1
53. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.[89] [90] [91] [92]
54. Sugar can lead to dizziness.[93]
55. Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.[94]
56. A high sucrose diet of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.[95]
57. High sugar consumption by pregnant adolescents can lead to a substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold-increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.[96] [97]
58. Sugar is an addictive substance.[98]
59. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.[99]
60. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.[100]
61. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.[101]
62. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.[102]
63. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.[103]
64. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).[104]
65. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.[105]
66. Sugar can impair the function of your adrenal glands.[106]
67. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in normal, healthy individuals, thereby promoting chronic degenerative diseases.[107]
68. Intravenous feedings (IVs) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.[108]
69. Sugar increases your risk of polio.[109]
70. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.[110]
71. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.[111]
72. In intensive care units, limiting sugar saves lives.[112]
73. Sugar may induce cell death.[113]
74. In juvenile rehabilitation centers, when children were put on low sugar diets, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.[114]
75. Sugar dehydrates newborns.[115]
76. Sugar can cause gum disease.[116]
It should now be crystal clear just how damaging sugar is. You simply cannot achieve your highest degree of health and vitality if you are consuming a significant amount of it.
Fortunately, your body has an amazing ability to heal itself when given the basic nutrition it needs, and your liver has an incredible ability to regenerate. If you start making changes today, your health WILL begin to improve, returning you to the state of vitality that nature intended.
In addition to throwing off your body's homeostasis and wreaking havoc on your metabolic processes, excess sugar has a number of other significant consequences.
Nancy Appleton, PhD, author of the book Lick the Sugar Habit[5], contributed an extensive list of the many ways sugar can ruin your health from a vast number of medical journals and other scientific publications.
1. Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.[6] [7]
2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.[8] [9] [10] [11]
3. Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.[12] [13]
4. Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.[14] [15] [16] [17]
5. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.[18]
6. Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]
7. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.[26] [27]
8. Sugar can weaken eyesight.[28] 1
9. Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.[29] [30] [31] [32] [33]
10. Sugar can cause premature aging.[34] In fact, the single most important factor that accelerates aging is insulin, which is triggered by sugar. 1
11. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.[35]
12. Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.[36] [37] [38]
13. Sugar contributes to obesity. [39] 1
14. Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis.[40] [41] [42]
15. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections) [43]
16. Sugar can cause gallstones.[44]
17. Sugar can cause appendicitis.[45]
18. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.[46]
19. Sugar can cause varicose veins.[47]
20. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.[48]
21. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.[49]
22. Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.[50] [51] [52]
23. Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.[53]
24. Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.[54]
25. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.[55]
26. High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs),which are sugar molecules that attach to and damage proteins in your body. AGEs speed up the aging of cells, which may contribute to a variety of chronic and fatal diseases. [56] 1
27. Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.[57]
28. Sugar causes food allergies.[58]
29. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.[59]
30. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.[60]
31. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.[61] [62]
32. Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.[63]
33. Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.[64] [65]
34. Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.[66]
35. Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.[67] [68]
36. Sugar can cause emphysema.[69]
37. High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.[70]
38. Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.[71]
39. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.[72]
40. Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide, and it can increase the amount of fat in your liver, leading to fatty liver disease.[73] [74]
41. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.[75] [76] Fructose is helping to drive up rates of kidney disease. 1
42. Sugar can damage your pancreas.[77]
43. Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.[78]
44. Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.[79]
45. Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.[80]
46. Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.[81]
47. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.[82]
48. Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect your children's grades and cause learning disorders.[83] [84]
49. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves, which can alter your ability to think clearly.[85]
50. Sugar can cause depression.[86]
51. Sugar can increase your risk of gout.[87]
52. Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.[88] MRI studies show that adults 60 and older who have high uric acid are four to five times more likely to have vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s.1
53. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.[89] [90] [91] [92]
54. Sugar can lead to dizziness.[93]
55. Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.[94]
56. A high sucrose diet of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.[95]
57. High sugar consumption by pregnant adolescents can lead to a substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold-increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.[96] [97]
58. Sugar is an addictive substance.[98]
59. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.[99]
60. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.[100]
61. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.[101]
62. Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.[102]
63. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.[103]
64. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).[104]
65. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.[105]
66. Sugar can impair the function of your adrenal glands.[106]
67. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in normal, healthy individuals, thereby promoting chronic degenerative diseases.[107]
68. Intravenous feedings (IVs) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.[108]
69. Sugar increases your risk of polio.[109]
70. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.[110]
71. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.[111]
72. In intensive care units, limiting sugar saves lives.[112]
73. Sugar may induce cell death.[113]
74. In juvenile rehabilitation centers, when children were put on low sugar diets, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.[114]
75. Sugar dehydrates newborns.[115]
76. Sugar can cause gum disease.[116]
It should now be crystal clear just how damaging sugar is. You simply cannot achieve your highest degree of health and vitality if you are consuming a significant amount of it.
Fortunately, your body has an amazing ability to heal itself when given the basic nutrition it needs, and your liver has an incredible ability to regenerate. If you start making changes today, your health WILL begin to improve, returning you to the state of vitality that nature intended.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Mental Midnight Snack
So you’re probably wondering why this week’s blog came so late…I’m sure your whole day was thrown off in the absence of your inspiration for the week. Just kidding! But seriously, I am sending this in the evening because I want to know what your brain is having for dinner!
Last week, we talked about breakfast for the brain – consuming the right mental foods to power you through your day. I mentioned that your subconscious mind is most receptive first thing in the morning and just before you drift off to sleep at night. That means that you should be feeding your mind the perfect midnight snack before you head to bed.
Your subconscious mind is at work even while you sleep – creating solutions, integrating new information, and developing plans. So once again, we’re focusing on feeding your mind the most nutrient rich things we can find.
So, I’m giving you the ultimate midnight mind snack:
-1 part prayer/meditation
-1 part gratitude journaling (listing things you’re grateful for and reflecting on them)
-1 part visualization of the next day
-1 part reading/listening to uplifting content (books, songs, audio books, etc)
Place ingredients in mind and blend. Serves 1. Enjoy one serving daily.
This midnight snack is calorie free and won’t affect your waistline! Restful sleep is enhanced by ending the day with gratitude and positive thoughts. Continue to focus on the things you love and enjoy the sweet dreams!
Inspired Journaling Prompt: Create an ideal midnight mind breakfast for yourself. Write about how your life will be positively affected when you implement this routine.
Inspired Action: Give the new recipe a test run tonight (or tomorrow night)! Get a notebook to keep at your bedside for writing your gratitude journal entries – simply make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for and spend time dwelling on each and how blessed you are. A positive mental state tonight will set you up for success tomorrow!
Last week, we talked about breakfast for the brain – consuming the right mental foods to power you through your day. I mentioned that your subconscious mind is most receptive first thing in the morning and just before you drift off to sleep at night. That means that you should be feeding your mind the perfect midnight snack before you head to bed.
Your subconscious mind is at work even while you sleep – creating solutions, integrating new information, and developing plans. So once again, we’re focusing on feeding your mind the most nutrient rich things we can find.
So, I’m giving you the ultimate midnight mind snack:
-1 part prayer/meditation
-1 part gratitude journaling (listing things you’re grateful for and reflecting on them)
-1 part visualization of the next day
-1 part reading/listening to uplifting content (books, songs, audio books, etc)
Place ingredients in mind and blend. Serves 1. Enjoy one serving daily.
This midnight snack is calorie free and won’t affect your waistline! Restful sleep is enhanced by ending the day with gratitude and positive thoughts. Continue to focus on the things you love and enjoy the sweet dreams!
Inspired Journaling Prompt: Create an ideal midnight mind breakfast for yourself. Write about how your life will be positively affected when you implement this routine.
Inspired Action: Give the new recipe a test run tonight (or tomorrow night)! Get a notebook to keep at your bedside for writing your gratitude journal entries – simply make a list of 5 things you’re grateful for and spend time dwelling on each and how blessed you are. A positive mental state tonight will set you up for success tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Brain Breakfast
Breakfast for your Mind
Question: What did you feed your most intelligent organ today?
You may be puzzled and wonder if I’m referring to some special fruit extract found in the Amazon or a special brain food. Those things are great for the physical and chemical elements of your brain, but I’m actually referring to the stimuli your brain received this morning.
Consider this: How things begin is often how they end. You may have had this physical experience: You skip breakfast and by 1 pm, you’re starving. You binge on the first edible thing you can find (not usually something healthy) and your appetite and energy levels are all out of whack the rest of the day.
I’m sure you’ve heard experts say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – well that’s true for your body and your mind. When you start your day, what do you think about? What do you read? What do you listen to? What do you see? What do you feel? These are all a part of your brain breakfast – it’s the first mental of the day and the most important.
When you start the day feeding your mind with negative things, your energy levels, vibrations, thoughts, and actions will follow. Your subconscious mind is most impressionable at 2 times of the day: just before you fall asleep at night and upon waking in the morning. This is the prime time to feed it the most rich, nutritious mind food you can find.
So, I’m giving you the ultimate mind breakfast recipe:
-1 part prayer/meditation
-1 part journaling/reflection
-2 parts goal setting/envisioning an awesome day
-1 part visualization
-1 part reading/listening to uplifting content (books, songs, audio books, etc)
Place ingredients in mind and blend. Serves 1.
Now that you’ve got the ultimate recipe, you can start your day with clarity, purpose, and momentum. Even the most accomplished people have to set the intention to make every day count. Today is the day you can start consistently feeding your mind the breakfast of champions!
Inspired Journaling Prompt: Create an ideal mind breakfast for yourself. Make a list of some resources, websites, and other inspiring content that you can use as part of your mind breakfast.
Inspired Action: Give the new recipe a test run tomorrow! I dare you to try a hearty mind breakfast and enjoy the results as you go sailing into a great day. Share your results with me at lisa (at)lisanicolebell.com
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