Nourish Your Life

As a Registered Dietitian, I am, of course, passionate about food!  The food we grow, the food we buy, the food we eat,  the food we need…I could go on and on; and often I do!

But, what does this mean to ME and My Journey to Higher Ground?

Do I practice what I preach?  Most of the time, “yes.”  And, as I say that, I ask myself, “What, exactly, do I preach?

I shall ponder that today…

I am still working on my “tolerations;” some days it is easy, other days I have to say, “OK, I will work on them for five minutes”-which actually become an incredibly productive five minutes!

While continuing with  “tolerations,” my coach, Jo, has challenged me to do One thing that I love to do that I haven’t done in a long time.  So, out  came my list of “100 things,” I closed my eyes, and pointed to one.  It was HIKING!  I love to hike, and have not done it for a long time!  Why haven’t I done it for a long time?  Beats me! 

My friend, Linda, and I went hiking many years ago.  So, out went an email to her, and she responded with a “Let’s Go!”  Thanks Linda! and Thanks Jo!!!

How are YOUR tolerations going?  Are you allowing yourself the time?  What do YOU love to do that you have not done for a long time?  What action will YOU take?

I am just about done with clearing off the clutter (tolerations) from my dressing room.  While going through the drawers, I came across a number of cosmetics that have been used a few times and did not like …So, what do I do with them???

I don’t want to throw them away, to just have them clutter up a landfill, but no one else is going to want “used cosmetics!” 

After checking this out, I have learned that you can recycle EMPTY cosmetic containers by taking them to Origins cosmetic store.  Not only will your empty cosmetic containers be recycled, but you will also receive a sample skin care product as their “thank you” for recycling.  Thank YOU, Origins!

But what about the partially still-filled ones?  HELP!  If you have any suggestions, PLEASE go to “comments” at the bottom of this BLOG and let me; let us ALL know your suggestions!  THANKS!!!

Yesterday was my first day to begin “my journey,”  and begin simplifying my life.

I  began with little tolerations;  starting with the bedroom (first room I see when I wake up…)  And…it is done!  I must admit it was an easy room to do…there were only four things that I removed; a box of pictures, an old cassette and two tote bags.  I could actually “feel” the difference in the room.  It felt “fresher…cleaner…simple.  Whew!  One down and I-have-no-idea-how-many- more-to- go. :~)

Tomorrow I will tackle my dressing room vanity.

How about YOU?  What tolerations are YOU eliminating?  What will YOU work on tomorrow?

It is June 1 and today I begin my journey!  I am so excited!  Where shall I begin?

I will begin with simplicity. 

This week I am going to work on eliminating “tolerations.”  In the coaching world, a “toleration” is anything that is bugging you and yet you continue to put up with it.  It can be big tolerations such as ~ a room needs to be painted, or  small tolerations such as ~ a pile of magazines to be sorted through.

Sometimes it is helpful to make a list of all of your tolerations; sometimes that may be overwelming.

My plan is to begin with the small ones and tackle them room by room, according to the rooms I see when I get up in the morning.

So, I will begin with the bedroom, move on to the dressing room (which will include my vanity, closet and clothes closet.)  Then on to the bathroom and down to the kitchen.

Excellent!!  I will begin NOW!

How about YOU?  Where will YOU begin today?  What is YOUR plan?

This is going to be fun!

This morning we sang “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”  That is my “cement!”  God’s love…and peace…and let it begin with me…

Tomorrow is June 1st and the Journey begins…I have prepared for it and am soooo excited to see where I am lead!

How about YOU?  Are YOU ready to begin?  Let’s go! 

O.K.,  so my stones are nature, simplicity and gratitude.  What I learned, is that gratitude covered ALL of my “100 things I love to do;” simplicity covered things like “be organized,” “clean things,”  “eat organic, local foods”  and ALL of my “loves” that have any connection with  nature.  Nature is so Simple!  I never thought of it that way before!

So, everything on my list is included in the stones.  There was no dominant category of “loves.”  And..all stones are truly connected!

I am a happy camper!

What about your list?  Is everything on your list included in a category?  Can you see how all stones are connected?

On to the “cement!”

I got out my green, pink and yellow highlighters, and began highlighting the nature “loves” in green, the simplicity “loves” in pink and the gratitude “loves” in yellow. Hmmm, there is not a clear distinction between the three of them!  Interesting!

Just like our body, mind and Spirit, it is all connected!  I love it!!!!

Did they all fit into one of the categories; were any of the categories more dominant?  I will allow myself to be “left-brained” just for the moment…

What did YOU learn about YOUR “loves?”  YOUR big stones and little stones?  YOUR categories?

This is the last week I have given myself to “prepare” for My Journey to Higher Ground.”

Exciting?  Scarey?  YES and YES!  But isn’t that the way a journey ought to be?  Joe Vitale once said “A good goal should scare you a little and excite you alot.”  Someone else said, and I apologize I don’t remember who, “If a goal doesn’t scare the bejeebers out of you, it isn’t big enough!”  (If you are the one who said it, let me know and I will certainly give you full credit!

Today, let’s review what we have already learned about ourselves; our big stones, (the parts of our life that truly motivate us);  our little stones, (100 things we love to do); our cement, (what holds the little stones together.)

So, My big stones are nature, simplicity and gratitude.  My little stones are the 100 things that I have listed in my notebook, and the cement that holds everything together is God’s love and peace.

My next step will be to go through my 100 things and, with three different colored highlighters, and color them for which “big stone” they fit in with.

What colors shall I use? Green for nature; pink for simplicity; yellow for gratitude.  Yep! that feels about right. 

How about you?  Will you highlight your 100 things?  What colors will you use?

I have thought alot about what I want to say today, and I thought I knew- until I read Phil Humberts message for today.  I cannot improve upon it, so I simply wish to pass it along to you.

Remember the Past, Create the FutureAs I said above, this is our Memorial Day Weekend, a time traditionally set aside to honor those who sacrificed and often gave their lives for our freedom.

Liberty and democracy are fragile things and they do not flourish by themselves. They require loving care and costly sacrifice by those who cherish them. Every day, liberty is under attack by those who would censor our words, our thoughts and our prayers. Every day, freedom is challenged by those–often good, well-intentioned people–who want more “order” at the expense of chaotic, inefficient democracy.

Because of our freedom, we can argue and disagree about where, and how, and when, and even if we should defend freedom, but there can be no doubt that we have the debates because brave men and women stood up against tyranny. In honor of those who died on 9/11, and to those all over the world who continue to sacrifice and too often die so we can have our picnics and watch our races, and have our debates this weekend: Thank you.

It seems woefully inadequate, but again, THANK YOU!

And now I want to make a tricky intellectual “pivot” and turn from talking about honoring those who fought for our freedoms, and talk about how we build our own lives, and the “Memorial Days” that signify our progress. Clearly, we must first honor those who have sacrificed for our freedom, but we honor them most by USING our freedom, not merely luxuriating in it.

I’m going to make a strong, blunt statement that may offend some, but here goes: I believe too many of us have grown flabby and lazy. We enjoy our freedoms and our wealth and our opportunities, but we also squander them.

Too often, we use our freedoms to become superb consumers rather that expert builders. Too often, we use our freedoms to complain rather than to create. Too often, we use our freedoms and our wealth and our power to become couch potatoes and channel-surfers rather than exploring our potential and pushing the limits of possibility.

As you celebrate this Memorial Day, what are the key dates in your own life? As you look back, do you mark the dates your children were born, or the date you launched your business? Do you mark the date you set your own course, and risked everything to pursue your dreams?

On a warm, sunny July 6th back in 1984, a friend and I reached the summit of Mt. Blanca, a 14,110-foot mountain in Colorado and as we enjoyed the view from the top, I realized we would likely climb other mountains together. I didn’t ask Mary to become my life partner for two more years, but that day on the mountain is one of my personal “Memorial Days.” It changed my life forever.

I remember a blustery, rainy day on December 12, 1997. That was the day I turned in my keys and walked away from the clinic I had built. I sold it earlier, but had agreed to stay on until the end of the year, and on that dark Friday afternoon, I launched a new direction. It’s one of my Memorial Days.

How about you? What are your personal Memorial Days? How have you used your freedoms, your talent, your dreams and abilities to create the life you want? We all have them! Some dates are specific and easy to recall, others may not have been so special at the time, but in retrospect we know they were turning points.

Honor those turning points. Honor yourself! Freedom and opportunity exist only if they are used! And one of the ways we fuel our dreams and empower the future is by “borrowing” confidence from the past. Celebrate your past achievements and use them to know, deep inside, that you can boldly go wherever your wish in the future. Go climb some big mountains!

For more of his excellence, please go to http://www.philiphumbert.com