My Blog - Move My Life Forward

Our Attitude

September 5, 2009 – 6:20 pm

“Don’t Look at the Problems, Search for the Possibilities”

It is easy to get wrapped up in our problems or feel sorry for ourselves when things don’t go the way we think they should. The depression or negative thoughts can suck the life out of us. The answer is to have goals written down so we can remind ourselves of what we are working towards. We need those little reminders or steps to help us walk away from the negative feelings and actions. Try to do something simple each day that helps get closer to at least one of your goals. Little steps add up to big steps. When we see progress, we can compliment ourselves and we feel good about ourselves. It helps us see a light at the end of the tunnel and we are motivated to keep reaching for our dreams.

Brainstorming possibilities and actions is another way to help us keep looking for answers to our problems. Writing these down is a powerful way to get our thoughts focused on where we want to go and what we want in our life. We also need to continue giving ourselves positive self-talk. Try not to question our abilities and actions or lack of actions. Visualize what you want to be doing. This all leads to believing in ourselves and in what we want. These actions keep us motivated, which in turn gets us to reach our goals.

Note that the H1N1 flu and the Health Care Reform issue are problems that we need to search for possible answers rather than focus on the problem. Read and gather as much information as you can so you can make intelligent decisions about each problem. Our media doesn’t always give us the facts so we need to gather information and verify each ‘fact’ at least three times to make it worth believing.

Remember, “Don’t Look at the Problems. Search for the Possibilities.”

By Susan | Posted in My Blog | Tagged Attitude, goals, H1N1, Health Care Reform, Possibilities| Comments (0)

Is Our Physical Health Related To Our Emotional Health?

July 18, 2009 – 7:26 pm

“Change Your Thoughts, Change Your World” By Norman Vincent Peale

It is so much easier to try to lose weight, go to the doctor, change our eating habits, or even exercise (though these are not simple tasks) than to change our thinking. When we have a physical problem we search to get rid of the symptoms rather than look at our whole person. Yet, research is finding that our emotions, our thoughts are a very important key to our well being, physically and emotionally.

Our thoughts dominate our mind through the day…and night. If our thoughts are negative, our body physically reacts. If our thoughts are positive, our body reacts in different ways. We need to be aware that our thoughts trigger our feelings and emotions which in turn affect our body and our health.

Therefore, reflecting on our thought patterns can help us achieve or maintain good health. Start with keeping track of your negative comments and responses for a day. Make a tally of them. If it is too difficult to keep track of your responses, then start with tally the negative comments of a family member or a co-worker. The point is to start becoming aware of your negative comments, then thoughts.

The next step, would be to try to change the comments and thoughts into positive words. This is no easy task as we have been programmed through our life to use more negatives than positives.

A good activity to help you get good at positive comments rather than negative ones is to write down some of the negative comments others or yourself have said. Then rewrite these negative comments in the positive. This takes practice but the more you practice, the easier it will get to comment AND think in the positive.

As you talk and think more in the positives, you will notice that you feel more energized, happier and you will be drawn to people who are positive. And lastly, you will find that more positive things are happening in your life. You can truly, CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Has anyone experienced this?

Repeat each day, “Change my thoughts, Change my world! “

By Susan | Posted in My Blog | Tagged Change your life, Emotions, Health, Positive Thoughts| Comments (0)

Question?

June 22, 2009 – 6:37 pm

When or how do we know our behavior is a learned habit or just a part of our personality? We know we can change our habits, though not easily but can we change our personality? Can changing our habits or personality, change what happens to us, what experiences we have, our life?

Nature versus nurture, personality traits versus learned behaviors. These are discussions that help us challenge ourselves to achieve our dreams and obtain our goals.

What are your thoughts?

By Susan | Posted in My Blog | Tagged habits, nature versus nurture, personality| Comments (0)

Reach Dreams by Setting Goals

May 31, 2009 – 5:06 pm

Dream big dreams, but realize….short term realistic goals are the keys to success.

Setting goals help make our dreams come true, step by step. Write well defined objectives that you want to reach. Focus on two or three goals at a time. Set a specific date to help motivate you to an end result. Then write out one or two obstacles or things that you think could get in your way of reaching your goal. Next, write three to four action steps that you can do to reach your goal. Be sure to set a date for each action plan to be completed. It is ok to change the date as you go along but a date gives you a specific time to work with. Lastly, read your goals at least once a day and keep them close to your thoughts so each day you are working toward your goals.

It’s ok to modify your goals or action steps. Your purpose is to achieve your goals. Things change. We change. Always look for the positive things you are doing as you work toward your goals.

Compliment and reward yourself when you complete an action step. When you achieve one of your goals, Celebrate!! And praise yourself. You will be one step closer to your dreams.

Repeat each day:

Dream big dreams, but I realize….short term realistic goals are the keys to success.

By Susan | Posted in My Blog | Tagged dreams, goals, success| Comments (0)

Strengthen Your Self-Esteem

May 14, 2009 – 7:00 pm

“Remember, no one can make you feel inferior with out your consent.” Elenore Roosevelt

Building our self-esteem begins with ourselves. Since we have been born, we have been hearing more negative comments than positive ones. These words have determined whether we believe in ourselves or not. It doesn’t matter if the words were true or not. Many times we sabotage ourselves because we believe that we can’t do something. We let those words from the past create our present.

However, it is those thoughts or conversations we have with ourselves that can help us to believe that we are capable of doing anything that we want to do. We can erase the negative words that keep racing in our heads and replace them with positive thinking.

When someone tells you that you look tired, instead of affirming that in your head, replace it with a positive thought like, “I feel energized or alert.” When you get negative feedback on your work, tell yourself that you are proud of yourself, that you did your best. You will take their suggestions but you know that you are a smart and intelligent person so you will learn from the experience.

Be your best friend. Start by being aware of the negative thoughts you have. If it helps, keep a tally. Then try to lessen the negative thoughts and increase the positive thoughts each day. When you get a negative thought, STOP, and try to change that thought into positive words. If it helps, talk to yourself out loud when you are alone. Do this for at least 30 days. The better you get at this, the more you will see that when someone says something demeaning to you, the words are less hurtful. You are able to let the words roll off your back because you know you are a great person. You are sure of your self-worth and any hurtful words or actions by others are their problem, not yours.

“Remember, no one can make you feel inferior with out your consent.” Repeat this each day till you believe it.

Should you want to work more on your self-esteem, contact me at susanlifecoach@gmail.com or call me at 585-346-7334. I can show you how to change your life through positive self-talk.

By Susan | Posted in My Blog | Tagged positive thinking, self-esteem| Comments (0)

Flu Virus

April 29, 2009 – 9:01 am

CONTROLLING OUR HEALTH

Taking care of ourselves is easier when we feel in control. Here is a message that can help you be in control of your health during this swine flu scare.

The Flu Virus… Lessening its Fury

The news headlines are full of warnings once again; a rather vicious flu has shown up in Mexico, New York and California, and may be headed our way. This is a new mutated flu strain called the A/H1N1 swine flu and any vaccines you got a few months back will be ineffective in protecting you from it. If you want to protect yourself against this flu, what you really need is a “natural vaccine” called a strong immune system.

A powerful flu is a serious problem, the virus doesn’t respond to medications so we can’t run to the doctor in hope of a cure. The solution lies in your immune system; this is your sword and shield against invading bacteria and viruses. The absolute best way to fight and conquer the flu is to build your immune strength before you are exposed to the virus. If you found yourself coming down with frequent colds this past winter and you suffer from spring allergies, then your immune system needs to be built up. I recently attended a lecture on Chinese medicine from a well respected herbalist. He mentioned that the average time it takes for a person to reverse their health concerns and rebuild their health and vitality is five years. That may seem strangely long to you, but he is talking about overcoming health issues not just controlling or covering them up. So in talking about strengthening our immune system, a diligent effort is needed if you want to build some level of protection in a short period of time.

So what steps can you take to make an immediate impact on improving your immune system’s strength? To begin with cut back on sugar intake. Sugar consumption can depress immune system function by 50%. Alcohol and white flour all convert quickly to sugar so be aware of their consumption as well. High sugar also depletes calcium and B-vitamins needed to keep the immune system and adrenal glands healthy. Your adrenal glands are your stress fighters; if they become weak your immune system weakens as well. This means that now more than ever, you need to take time to find ways to counteract the stress in your life. Take simple steps to de-stress your life on a regular basis. For instance, forego watching an action packed high stress show on T.V. Instead drink a cup of chamomile tea on the front porch on a cool spring evening. Chat with an old friend, relax or read a book, take time to do some stretches, they really help release stress from the body.

Drink 2 quarts of water daily. If you don’t drink enough water your elimination channels become congested (kidneys, liver, colon, lungs, and skin). This results in mucus buildup, which congests the lymphatic system and makes you more susceptible to bacterial and viral infections. There’s much to be said about hot chicken soup, make up a big pot and then freeze it in portions, so you can pull it out when anyone starts to get run down. The key is to put in lots of vegetables; carrots, beans, tomatoes, okra, celery, etc. pack the soup full of nutrients. Don’t forget to add several cloves of garlic it is a great immune protector in the body. Get plenty of rest; don’t push yourself until you’re run down. Your immune system is most active when you are sleeping. If you have trouble falling asleep, a natural sleep aid like valerian, kava kava, melatonin or Chinese Nervous Fatigue formula may be a good choice. Talk to the girls down at Nature’s Remedy to figure out which one of these remedies is best for you.

There are several supplements that are particularly effective at building resistance to the flu, as well as lessening the intensity and duration should you come in contact with it. You need adequate supplies of the vitamins A, C, E and the mineral zinc. These are antioxidants that build the immune system. Although your multiple vitamin formula will provide these, the average person needs additional supplementation to build a weakened immune system. The formula Defense Maintenance supplies all of these in a base of vegetables as well. Vitamin D3 is incredibly important to a healthy immune system. Intakes of at least 4000 iu per day of vitamin D3 are recommended. Elderberry Defense is a great formula to build protection against the flu. Elderberries have a mild diuretic and laxative function which helps to clear toxins from the system. This action helps to prevent the common cold by changing the environment of your body. Elderberry contains two active ingredients that actually help prevent the flu from taking hold in your body, by inhibiting the enzyme that the influenza virus uses to penetrate into your cells. Astragalus is another herb which is known to build resistance to the flu virus. The Chinese recognized the importance of this herb. They regularly add astragalus to the pot of stew on the stove during cold season, so everyone could get their daily immune boost. Both Elderberry Defense and Astragalus should be taken on a daily basis well in advance of exposure to the flu. With news of the flu spreading quickly I plan to take 2 elderberry defense and 2 astragalus twice daily for the next month. I’ll give our boys age 10 and 13 one of each daily. For younger children we have elderberry defense in a chewable form. We don’t have the astragalus in liquid or chewable but it is a sweet herb that could be stirred into a little yogurt once a day. An alternative would be to use 5-7 drops of Ultimate Echinacea daily to help boost the immune system.

For those of you who have a weak immune system but are also under high stress you may want to consider taking the formula SUMA Combination for a month or so. This formula combines the immune builders echinacea and astragalus, with two herbs which help you adapt to stressful situations: eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) and suma (sometimes called Brazilian ginseng). In addition the formula also contains gingko and gotu kola to help your brain and memory function better under stress. If I were using this formula I would take 3 capsules 2-3 times daily along with a couple Elderberry Defense for extra flu protection.

One last formula I’d like to mention is called HCP-X which stands for herbal composition powder. This combination of herbs was originally made in the 1800’s by American herbalist, Samuel Thompson. During the 1900’s it became a very popular formula for fighting colds, fever, hoarseness and flu. HCP-X combines very hot and spicy herbs: bayberry, ginger, white pine, capsicum, and cloves. It is a good remedy to use when you first come down with a cold or flu. The hot spicy nature of this formula helps to push the virus out of your system before it can take a good hold. So when you feel the first symptoms of a cold or flu coming on start taking a 2-3 capsules of HCP-X every couple hours. Symptoms typically include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Last but not least, make sure you have some Silver Shield on hand should anyone get ill. Silver Shield is simply the most powerful natural antibiotic/antiviral available. It is virtually nontoxic and can be taken by children, babies, and pregnant women. Silver attacks pathogens differently than synthetic antibiotics. It reacts with the bacteria’s cell wall inhibiting oxygen transfer into the cell which then suffocates the bacteria or virus and kills it. Because of this mechanism there is virtually no way for the pathogen to develop a resistance to the silver. Silver shield is effective for fighting the flu virus. Since this supplement is a liquid and the dose is small, it is a good choice when you have nausea and vomiting. You can take 2 tsp. every couple hours if needed. Don’t forget to order some Silver Shield Gel. You can rub this gel on your hands and it will kill viruses and bacteria on contact for 3-4 hours!

I hope these ideas help you to point you in the right direction to build a healthier stronger immune system that can fight even the strongest flu.

Valerie Greguire
Certified Herbalist, Natural Health Consultant

Disclaimer: This information is intended for educational purposes. Please consult a licensed health professional should the need be indicated.

By Susan | Posted in My Blog | Tagged staying healthy, swine flu, taking control| Comments (0)

To Have The Will and The Faith

April 4, 2009 – 2:18 pm

“The only thing that stands between a person and what they want in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it’s possible.”

There are so many obstacles, road blocks and doubts in each of our lives that it is easy to lose sight of what we dream about or really want. If we break it down into simple parts, we can see how we can overcome the difficulties and achieve anything we want. Our self-esteem is the foundation or key to getting what we really want. The more positive our self-esteem is, the stronger our Will and our Faith. Therefore, our first focus needs to be on ridding ourselves of the negatives and increasing the positives in our thinking and in our actions.

So take the saying and make it your own - write the words, post them and repeat them out loud often.

“The only thing that stands between me and what I want in my life is The Will to try it and The Faith to believe it’s possible.”