Posts by Alison:
Unplugged: Live Inspired Taking a Fall Sabbatical from Blogging
September 3rd, 2012Happy September! Last week my internet connection was down, my apologies for missing our weekly Live Inspired blogposts. With my internet connection absent I was inspired to unplug. Unplugging is the time we take when we step away from technology to be totally present in our environment without interruption.
While technology is a crucial tool for human beings to connect to the outside world, build businesses and stay informed our pace has reached such a point that over-connectivity can be a very real problem for all of us. Incessant phone calls; endless Internet overload and constant noise–all of these things have brought a lot of chatter to our lives.
It is essential from time to time to slow down, unplug and heal our minds so we can hear our own inner voice and listen to our spirit. For this reason, I have been looking at different areas of life where I can slow down and unplug. I will be taking a fall sabbatical from writing LI weekly tips. Please enjoy blog archives to stay inspired with your health and happiness.
Take a moment to look at your own life and ask “what would be the benefit for unplugging?” Where can you unplug, in small and big ways, to get reconnected to your spirit? Can you turn off your phone for a few hours on the weekend? Take a day off from being on the computer? Take some action to do so. The benefits can be profound. Unplug!
Healthy Living Recipes: Papaya-Tomato Salsa
August 14th, 2012
Gluten-Free
Makes 1 1/2cups
¾ cup tomato,chopped small
1 cup papaya,any variety,cubed
4 tsp. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. cayenne
¼ tsp. salt or to taste
1Tbl fresh cilantro, minced
Place tomato, papaya, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and cilantro in a medium mixing bowl;stir well.
You are invited to join Mark’s highly praised on-line cooking class membership program, teaching healthy meal preparation that integrates the many benefits of vegan, vegetarian, raw food, gluten free and plant-based diets. As Mark says, “The Best Health Care Is Self Care” and he should know after teaching hundreds of people just like you and traveling the world sharing this wisdom with all of his students. This specific recipe, Papaya-Tomato Salsa is courtesy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw, a book by Mark Reinfeld.
Please click here to see free introductory video or to sign up.
A Unexpected Health Tip: Gratitude
August 7th, 2012
gratitude |ˈgratəˌt(y)oōd|
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness
What are you grateful for today?
If there were just one practice I could recommend, to skyrocket your wellbeing, it would be to start a gratitude practice. I say practice because, it truly is. Whether you are used to seeing the glass half-full or half-empty through practice you can change your brain to see the “bright side” of things.
The NY Times reports, “Cultivating an ‘attitude of gratitude’ has been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior towards others, including romantic partners.”
An easy way to get started with a gratitude practice is to start a gratitude journal. This is a place you can record what you are grateful for. It can be simple. Jot a word or a sentence about the things you are grateful for that day. Choose a time for your gratitude journaling and make it a habit.
Another easy way to create a gratitude practice is to convert your commute time into a gratitude practice. Make your commute an opportunity to think of all the things, big and small, you are grateful for in your life.
I am grateful for you! Have a great week.
A Laugh A Day Keeps You Young
July 30th, 2012
Humor is infectious. It is a virus we want to spread! Laughter boosts immunity, lowers stress hormones, relaxes muscles, and eases fear. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh or even a smile, can go a long way to helping you feel better.
Summer is a great time of year to focus on feeling good and finding humor in your life. Make a point this week to laugh at least once a day. Laughing will trigger a release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, and help you to feel optimistic.
Here are some fun ways to create laughter in your day:
Tell a joke.
Watch a comedy.
Practice “laughter” yoga.
Smile, just because.
Be silly.
Hang out with kids.
Not only will a laugh a day keep you young, it will keep you healthy.
Change Your Questions, Change Your Life
July 17th, 2012
“What’s wrong with me?” Joe exclaimed. Joe was in a tailspin, overwhelmed with his present circumstances. He had recently been laid off from his job leaving him with just enough money to make his monthly rent and bill payments. Joe’s stress was palpable. I listened empathetically and astutely with my “coaching cap” on.
I could hear that what Joe needed was some prodding questions to help him shift his perspective. By shifting his perspective, Joe could begin to see where he needed to take action in order to move forward and deal effectively with his emotions, creating an even better situation for himself.
If Joe continued to ask himself the question, “What is wrong with me?” he would likely find himself facing few proactive options, obscuring his view of his talents, and what next action step might be most advantageous for him to take.
How does Joe’s story relate to you and me? Think of a time when you have faced a challenge or ventured into unknown territory. Now, recall the questions you asked yourself that helped you to chart your direction. The questions you asked yourself, or, more importantly, the questions you didn’t ask yourself, have a monumental impact in shaping your life’s direction.
It’s simple. Ask better questions. Get better results. You will go further, faster by focusing on the right questions. Asking the right questions helps you to transform your challenging life situations, unveil new opportunities, and reveal possibilities you may have otherwise missed.
And what might those questions be, you may ask yourself? According to Dr. Adams, founder of the Inquiry Institute, we get the best results by using “Learner Questions,” which lead to discovery, understanding, connection, and accountability versus “Judger Questions,” which more often lead to overwhelm, narrow-mindedness, regret, and blame.
I consider “Learner Questions” to be life inspiring, which add energy to your life and “Judger Questions” to be life draining, which suck the life force energy right out of you.
For example, the difference between asking, “Why is this happening to me?” (a life draining question) to “What can I learn from this situation?” or “How is this situation useful for my personal growth?” (a life inspiring question) will make all the difference in how you feel about your circumstance and, therefore, how you respond to it.
Where life-draining questions evoke a feeling of victimhood and a loss of power, life-inspiring questions presuppose that you are in a place of power, creativity, and possibility.
Take a look at this list of life draining questions and life inspiring questions.
|
Life Draining Questions |
Life Inspiring Questions |
| What’s wrong? | What am I responsible for? |
| Who is to blame? | What works? |
| Why bother? | What do I want? |
| Why is that other person so clueless? | What can I learn from this person, place or situation? |
| How can this have happened to me? | What is possible? |
| Why me, I don’t deserve this? | How can this be my best opportunity ever? |
| How can I get back control? | How can I make this a win-win? |
| Where can I get revenge? | What assumptions am I making? |
How can you apply life inspiring questions to your personal process? Where are you feeling stuck or frustrated? Do you have a relationship that is getting you down? Are you burning out at your job? Notice if you are being a judger or a learner. Make the switch from asking life draining questions to asking life inspiring questions. It is a simple strategy. You can do it!
The goal is to integrate life inspiring questions into your daily life.
Switching from asking life draining questions and being in “judger” mode starts with observation. When you catch yourself judging, which is perfectly normal, pause, take a deep breath, and shift into your “learner” mindset by asking life inspiring questions. Pull from the list above, print it out, put it in your pocket, and place it on the fridge.
Joe discovered that asking himself “What do I want?” got him back on track and out of the dog-chasing-tail question loop of “What’s wrong with me?” Joe then asked, “How can this be my best opportunity ever?” Joe connected to his deeper passions, which were not being fulfilled at his old job, and then asked, “What are my next best action steps to achieve my new career goals?” Joe gave himself time to vent his frustration appropriately and found it helpful to write out his feelings, so he could move on with a clean slate.
“Way to go Joe!”
Got good questions? What are some of your favorite empowering questions? Write in and share them…