New Year's Resolutions -- Making them Stick

It's that time of year again. Right after we have finished eating, drinking and maybe being a little TOO merry over the holidays it feels time to evaluate the year. What do we want to change for next year? How can we not only set the intention of a resolution but MAKE IT STICK?

This is very special to me this year because it marks one year of declaring that I would heal myself. Now, a year later I am 100% pain and pain pill free and am tremendously proud of myself. I had my setbacks, I had my "hard times" sticking with my goals but I never backed down and am living the rewards every day. Now I will set my goals for 2008 and the main one is that 2008 will be to finances as 2007 was for my health.

I am reading and educating myself on how to best maximize the use of time and in the next few days will set specific goals and mini goals for achieving success. Yes, I also want to drop that holiday weight, exercise more, spend more quality time with my kids, husband, friends AND myself but all of these involve me working on my time management skills so that is where I am starting. I just received Tim Ferris's book "The Four Hour Workweek" for Christmas which came highly recommended to me from my friend Greg Butler at Holistic Personal Development. Thanks Ray (my husband) for the book -- as you know I can't put it down! : ) I am finding it to be wonderfully informative and expect great results after putting into practice all the ideas and useful challenges Tim Ferris puts out there.

OK -- so you now know what MY goals are but what are yours and how will you make them stick past January 10th? Here are some steps that ensure success:

1) Set Goals and MINI goals

I wrote about this before and think it is very important. If you set a HUGE goal like "I want to be in shape" but do not set mini goals on how to do that it makes it more challenging to stick with. For example I want to work on time management so I can figure out how to balance home, work, kids, friends, writing, exercise and "me" time. My first mini goal was to read the Tim Ferris book to get me in the right mindset. My second step will be to sit down and write mini goals for all these areas of my life. My third goal will be to apply the knowledge from the book to the areas of my life and to work out some sort of time window for each. Make them OBTAINABLE, LOGICAL steps to get to your final big goal and you will feel a confidence boost EVERY completed step of the way.

2) Don't Jump Ship if you get off Course!

Wow - this is a biggie. I am sure we all have either heard someone say or said ourselves a variation of the following: "Well I was doing well dieting but then I ate a whole pack of cookies so I am not on a diet anymore" or "I quit smoking but got stressed out and needed a few so now I am a smoker again". ALMOST EVERYONE will have set-backs when changing a habit. Expect them. If you are changing a habit you need to be patient with yourself, forgive yourself and give yourself more chances. When I was healing myself I had days when it seemed I got nothing but bad news and my negative self-talk would start up again. Soon after the aches would follow. Luckily part of educating myself was learning about mindfulness and I would tell myself "Ok Jen -- I know this seems bad -- but you have until tonight to feel badly then you will say your gratitude list and wake up better". It never occurred to me to return to my old ways because I was determined to see results and I knew and believed in what I wanted to achieve. Apologize to yourself, forgive yourself and try again.

3) Believe in Yourself -- Visualize the Outcome and FEEL the Gratitude for it
After seeing the movie "The Secret", reading Deepak Chopra and about the mind/body connection I KNEW I would heal myself. I imagined myself healthy, not going to doctors all the time, chasing after the kids with energy to spare, starting a career and seeing friends and family more often. I would close my eyes and visualize HOW WONDERFUL it would feel to be healthy and be able to accomplish goals. It only took a minute a day but the joy I got from that picture would last me all day. See yourself skinny and in that bathing suit, see yourself accepting an award, see yourself making money and the things you will do with it when you have it. Feel how that would make you feel. If you are getting "off course" it's time to visualize again and KNOW that the end result is worth any sacrifice you feel you are making.

4) Feel Gratitude for the Strides you are Making

Mini goals are great because you get to pat yourself on the back for each step taken. You also need to show yourself gratitude for ANY steps you are taking in the right direction. An example is you have said "no sweets" and you go out to a dinner party. Instead of having your usual 3 cookies you only have 1. Will you beat yourself up for that 1 you had or celebrate that you didn't grab any more? It is important to be GRATEFUL for the self control you did show. This offers you encouragement to keep it up, shows you have strength, builds your self confidence and shows that you are in control.

5) Educate Yourself on the Best Way to Achieve Your Goals
Have you set the same goal of working out more or losing weight every year and gone about it the same way only to fail? Have you set up a rigorous weight training schedule that you can't keep up with? Have you tried quitting smoking cold turkey and not been able to make it stick? Maybe you need a different approach.

There is SO much information on the internet about ANY goal you want to achieve. Do the research, find a DIFFERENT way for you to achieve your goal(s) this year. While educating yourself ask if what you are reading resonates within you? Can you see yourself sticking with yoga better than weight training? If you educate yourself you might even come up with "back-up" methods to achieve your goals. For example -- if you've always wanted to try yoga and aerobics set your intention to exercise using EITHER method that way if you don't like one you can try the other. Where I live there is a Free Exercise on Demand channel where you can try different workouts. The more options you have to achieve your goal(s) the less likely you will abandon it.

6) Pair up with a Buddy
Do you have any friends with similar goals? Any way you can help each other? Most of the times that I go for a walk and all the times I cross country ski it is with friends. Not only do I LOVE the time with my friends but it also is harder NOT to workout if you have a buddy that is counting on you as well. Similarly I recently became part of a Mastermind Group. It helps so much to set intentions, share ideas and have a support system. Every 2 weeks we meet through Skype and set an intention of what we hope to accomplish over the next 2 weeks. To set that intention helps me to keep my priorities and STAY on track. A GREAT place to meet people online, find a buddy or Mastermind Group and set some goals is Personal Development Partners -- Founded by Aaron Potts.

Whether you are trying to heal pain, gain success, achieve financial wealth, quit smoking, get in better shape, bond with friends and family, gain better time management skills or whatever other resolutions you are hoping to achieve -- I believe these steps will help you STAY on track. I wish you all the best for a happy, healthy and successful 2008! Remember only you control your own mind, thoughts and actions and if you BELIEVE you will ACHIEVE. Thank you Stacie for suggesting I write on New Year's Resolutions... it has been therapeutic and fun to reflect on the past year and set my intentions for 2008!

Compassion -- Use it to Heal Others as You Heal Yourself in the Process

Albert of Urban Monk told me of a competition he and 2 other monks are having giving bloggers the opportunity to write about "Compassion". I jumped at the opportunity because compassion is one of the only emotions I can honestly say I have never been without. This is a joint effort by the Three Monks – Wade of The Middle Way, Kenton of Zen-Inspired Self Development, and Albert of Urban Monk.Net. The prizes of NOW watches are kindly provided by the coolest timepiece company ever – The Now Watch.

Growing up in NYC with my young parents gave me a ton of opportunities to observe people and situations. My parents had me when they were 18 and worked while going to college to ensure I had every opportunity available. We didn't have it easy but I don't ever remember seeing us as having it badly either. Love was always given to me by my parents, their many friends and all our relatives. Always feeling loved and taken care of opened me up to feel compassion for others.

I love the following quote that I think sums up compassion well:

"Compassion is that which makes the heart of the good move at the pain of others. It crushes and destroys the pain of others; thus, it is called compassion. It is called compassion because it shelters and embraces the distressed." - The Buddha

I grew up walking around NYC and seeing all kinds of people. People wearing fur coats, homeless people with no shoes and everyone in between. My parents were always very mindful to point out there were a lot of people far worse off than us. I grew up knowing having money wasn't everything and that a lot of people with money had problems as well. I was the one in class that wanted to be friends with everyone. I did not believe in labels as "the fat kid, the dork, etc.". I saw everyone as people and every person as having value. I got insulted by some of the "popular kids" for being friends with the "unpopular" but that just made me realize they were probably not the kids I wanted to be good friends with. Yes, the kids in the tattered uniforms might not look as polished as the ones in the consistently pressed ones -- but that didn't mean they were any more or less of a good person. In fact, I realized early on some of the "most popular" kids were meaner than the not as popular. I was friends with all from the diplomat's daughter to the family of 6 that lived in a one bedroom apartment in NYC. I believe seeing value in every single person and knowing all were special also helped keep compassion consistent in my life.

I always seemed to be the one my friends came to with troubles because I would always want to listen and make them feel better. I always wanted to "fix things" and make people smile. I would try and make my friends laugh, distract them with fun and go through the possible options for making their situation better. In camp I was always given the title "sweetest or most compassionate camper". When I was a teenager I wanted to become a psychologist so I could help others. I always felt it was a strength of mine to not only empathize or feel compassion but really want to understand the problem and offer viable solutions. I always wanted my friends to see the best in themselves and realize how wonderful they were. Friends have always been a great source of strength to me even though it was always rare for me to open up and I got most of my joy from helping or just having fun.

As an adult I continued to attract some friends that needed help and wanted to come to me for advice. I also learned how to open up a bit more myself and allow others to offer me compassion. When I became ill I was involved in a lot of chronic pain, chronic illness and disease and disorder forums. I felt very sad as I heard the voluminous stories and even though I was in pain as well -- I always wanted to offer encouraging words and tell people it would get better.

Through my healing I realized what my life purpose is. I want to teach others how to use the mind/body connection and the law of attraction to heal and feel as good as they can. I can clearly remember joining forums and meeting tons of people that had given up because doctors told them they would get worse. My doctors told me the same thing. If I had listened and just "managed my pain by prescription drugs" I would be in very bad shape right now instead of celebrating my one year of health (January). I want to connect with people in chronic pain and tell them that there are ways to heal and natural ways to manage their pain. I can relate to what people in chronic pain feel -- the helplessness, the endless tests, the poor self worth, the "missing out", the worry of worse health conditions, the never-ending PAIN, the guilt of not being able to do more….. I want to show those in chronic pain that even if they don't heal 100% they can make their life a lot better and it can still be VERY WORTH LIVING.

So how do I show my compassion to people in pain? Anyway I can. I've given away as many e-books as I have sold. I've emailed back and forth with people tons of times without asking for anything. I've allowed myself to be open for all kinds of questions when people read my e-book or have any questions at all about mind/body or law of attraction healing. I actively go on forums and look for people that I can help. I am always looking into alternative methods of healing to write about so my readers can be informed.

What do I get in return? I've gotten at least 10 people telling me I have changed their lives so far. I have testimonials from people who have loved my e-book. I get emails from people asking me to talk to their son/daughter who are ill and inspire them. I get to feel so ALIVE because I have helped others and feeling their joy is payment enough.

I have also passed this trait onto my children and am so proud when I hear my son's teachers say just how compassionate he is. I hear that he is very concerned with how others are feeling in his class, he always makes sure to call on everyone when given the opportunity and that he wants no one to feel left out. I am very proud of Alex and know he will help me show his younger sister the joy of being compassionate and helping others as well.

Compassion is to want to help others without desiring or expecting ANYTHING in return. When you help someone out of compassion and receive their gratitude -- you have not only helped to heal that person but you will also feel healed from deeply within as well. I believe life is about helping others and sharing love and knowledge with as many as possible. Thank you Albert for giving me this topic to write about. I am passionate about compassion!

Ahh - the Holidays -- Shift Your Attention to what you love about them!

Wow -- I look at days like today and say "I am SO grateful for my health and my healing". A year ago I could not have done even 1/100th of what I did today. My father and step-mom come tomorrow and stay a few days so I am doing the last minute shopping, clean up, cooking prep, wrapping, etc. I was a bit stressed earlier in the week and saw it effect my energy level and even felt some old aches wanting to manifest. Luckily I read Edward Mill's post "The Holiday Anti-Stress Guide -- 19 Tips For a Relaxing Holiday Season". It really helped me to look at where my attention was going and gave me some GREAT tips on what needed work.

I began to shift my attention and focus on the GOOD stuff about the holidays and what I look forward to. I made my lists, let myself off the hook about some of the endless things along with work that needed to be done, delegated some tasks so my husband and kids could help me and started to think about what I LOVE about the holidays. I was swamped and my lists were long but I knew if I did not get some mental health time I would only sink lower. I called my good friend Angela and invited her over and after an hour of talking and hanging out was completely renewed. I've mentioned before the importance of good friends and there really is no way to say how much my friends mean to me.

I made a comment on the above Evolving Times article about one of my favorite holiday traditions. Every year I write out cards for my mother, father and Ray (my husband). Sometimes they include poems specifically for the person. Other times they are a recap of the year and how I am grateful for that person. This is something I REALLY look forward to every year and I know means a lot to my family.
I was being hard on myself because I had not written on my computer blog in a long while and thought, "time to shift my attention and figure out a way to get this done AND have fun instead of looking at is as work". I previewed a few and found age appropriate ones. I then asked my son Alex, 8 to HELP me play some holiday games so I could test and review them and we had a lot of fun together. I don't get much one on one time with Alex during the school year that doesn't involve studying and it was great to have him help with "mommy's work". We laughed, talked about the games and I had the most fun I have ever had "working" on a post. This picture is of me, my father and Alex 2 Christmas's ago.

Shifting attention is one of the methods I highlight in my e-book that helped me to heal. There is POWER in shifting your attention to what IS good instead of concentrating on what is not working or what is causing you stress. I used this when I was very ill and could only find about an inch of my body that wasn't screaming in pain. To concentrate on the one pain-free part and feel gratitude INSTEAD of concentrating on all the painful parts CHANGED the way my body was perceiving pain.

If you are stressed about the holidays and money, scheduling, gift choosing, store lines, endless get-togethers -- try and think about the GOOD stuff that makes you happy during the holidays. Is there a relative or friend you love seeing that you will see around this time? How can you let the ones you love KNOW how special they are? (You needn't spend a dime on this - a note works wonders). Do you have any Holiday songs you look forward to hearing every year? Yes, even "Dominick and Donkey" and "Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer" count! Do you have a holiday treat or meal you look forward to? Do you have one holiday tradition that always makes you smile?

Shifting attention and concentrating on the meaning of Christmas and the holidays versus how much it takes to get them together will help you to feel good, reduce stress and actually get you in the holiday spirit! In my last post I wrote about staying healthy during the holiday season. To BE happy and FEEL the joy of the holidays goes even one step further to ensuring your health, emotional and physical, during what is called the most stressful time of the year. I highly recommend reading Edwards Mill's post on the holidays and focusing on all the good and joy surrounding the holidays. I wish everyone all the best and make sure to treat yourself well and give yourself some rest during these busy times!

Breath, Consciousness and Staying Healthy

I have been studying about consciousness a lot lately. Anita Pathik Law from The Power of Our Way had a GREAT Community Call in Program on "Raising Consciousness and Taking Responsibility for Your Own Shift" last week and through it I met many others that were very thought provoking. Shifting into Consciousness used to sound so foreign to me.... but all it is simply is being in the moment. Being aware of what your mind is telling you and what your self-talk is saying. Being aware of the world around you and not moving through it mindlessly. Meditation or concentrating on your breath is one of the easiest ways to initiate this. Through the call in program there were many wise ways people used to bring them back to consciousness and relax their own minds from tools like gardening and dance to prayer or gratitude and many more.

Being given all this wonderful information lately has been very helpful as the holidays, feet of snow, child illnesses and heavy work load have been overwhelming me a bit. My good friend Alissa forwarded me the following video this morning -- she always seems to know when I need something even though she is far away from me in Miami! A GREAT way to start a Monday and exactly what I needed to bring me back to awareness. I've told Alissa several times that she is my guardian angel and once again she has proven it! She introduced me to my husband 13 years ago and she introduced me to The Secret which led to my healing. Thank you Alissa -- I am more grateful for you than I'll ever be able to say and miss you terribly! The following is a video of Prem Rawat/Maharaji talking about the importance of breath.

Through Anita Pathik Law's call in program I met someone who truly resonated with me when I heard her speak. Her name is Dr. Charlene Proctor and her website is The Goddess Network. She mentioned and has studied under Sai Maa of Humanity in Unity who is inspirational when it comes to centering, awareness and enlightenment. Following is a video where she speaks of how she sees enlightenment.

It is amazing for me to see the growth I have had during the last year and also amazing how far I have yet to go! ; ) Life is a journey and if you are bored, angry or experience a lot of negative emotions frequently you are definitely not living it consciously. When you begin to listen to yourself and quiet your mind you can start to see what you truly desire to be happy. You can set goals, make time for yourself and be aware of what is going on around you instead of being on auto-pilot. Everyone needs time to breathe and think about where there mind is in order to grow. If you are not controlling your thoughts than who is? Are you going through the day reacting as you have been programmed to do or are you living consciously?

I still have my moments that I am not proud of. Anger, frustration, worry and feeling overwhelmed sometimes can hit me hard. I am getting better of being aware when these emotions come up and naming them, acknowledging them and questioning why they are there and what to do with them. Negative emotions can be GREAT for noticing what you DON'T want but usually there is no benefit to staying in that space for too long. Negative emotions cause stress and stress leads to illness and un-wellness. I am trying my best when I do experience these emotions to breathe, work through what I am feeling and use my self-talk to turn things around. I love to get out and go for a walk when the weather and someone watching my kids permits but my fastest way to center is to be in quiet, breathe slowly and deeply and think CONSTRUCTIVELY instead of DESTRUCTIVELY. Other ways I turn my mood around and return to consciousness include putting on a song that I HAVE to dance to, calling a good friend, watching an inspiring video (like above), reading a great article or putting on Deepak Chopra's audio "Soul of Healing Meditations". My friend and fellow blogger Greg Butler at Holistic Personal Development has a lot of GREAT articles on consciousness that I highly recommend.

During this time of year it is easy to get off track and to have emotions get the better of you. It doesn't mean it has to be permanent and you don't have to let them control you or ruin your day. Take notice of them and figure out WHY they are there and what you can do to change them. Take the time to breathe, be conscious and recenter and you will feel better and be much more likely to STAY healthy during the end of the year rather than letting stress wear you down and make you ill.

Michael Moore's "Sicko"

"SICKO"

I knew I HAD to see this movie when it came out but having 2 young kids it seems I don't get to any movie in the theaters that doesn't have a PG rating on it. I was happy to see it offered on Video On Demand and finally got to see it a few nights ago. I highly recommend Americans see this movie. People from other countries would be educated by it as well but as an American it is an embarrassment to show JUST how screwed up our health care system is in this country.

Yes, I knew the health care system had BIG problems. This was not all new information for me considering I was ill for 7 years and have been dealing with a few health insurance companies during my illnesses.
I knew that health insurance companies declined people for pre-existing conditions.
I knew that 50 million Americans DO NOT have health insurance because they can't afford it.
I knew people were declined NECESSARY treatments to save their lives because health insurance companies wanted profits not spending.
I knew health insurance companies were making record profits and sadly I knew how involved the pharmaceutical companies were/are in making expensive drugs for profit rather than their primary goal being to help those in need.
I knew that we are not taught about preventative care in this country but given pills to relieve symptoms.

What I didn't know was that there are people whose job it is to refuse people treatment and that they are given bonuses based on the number of people they have refused with pre-existing conditions. After all sick people eat into profits because they need constant care.

I didn't know that 18,000 people die yearly in the US BECAUSE they don't have Health Insurance.

While I did know Canada, England and France offered Universal Health Care I did not know Cuba offered it or JUST how much aid and help is given to you by these countries if you are ill. Medication costs average about $10 no matter how many pills or WHAT medication you get. England has a service that comes to your house within an hour if you are ill (no cost). You can even get reimbursed for carfare for the times you need to go to a hospital. No paperwork, no money exchanged at all and they talk to you about PREVENTATIVE measures. Doctors are rewarded for patients that they refer for preventative care (no referrals needed). In France the government hires a nanny to help out new moms a few hours at a time a couple of times a week so the mom can be happy and adjust. These nannies will also clean, cook and do any other chores you need them to do while they watch your child. The government pays for all of this.

There are tons of facts featured in Sicko that will blow your mind. Click here to get the fact sheet backed up by links of proof. Prepare to be disgusted if you are American or grateful for Universal Health Care if you are not. I've got to give Michael Moore credit for trying to add some humor and to keep it from being just a totally depressing account of how messed up everything is. Yes, he can be obnoxious and sometimes seem "over the top" but he is getting an important message out there and DOING something about the changes he wants to see. To find out ways to help out and change the health care system in the US you can click the above picture or this link. I'd love to hear from people who have seen this movie and what they thought.

When and why did the US Health Care System become more interested in making money than healing people? Why is the US so GREEDY? How can we help change the future of medical care in the US? These are issues I think about every day. I sign petitions via Care2 that have to deal with Health Care and now I will pursue Michael Moore's recommendations as well. Isn't it time we made the US Health Care System care about EVERYONE and not just those that don't mind paying $15,000/year for coverage that are NOT sick? Please help to BE the CHANGE you want to see in the US Health Care System and visit one of the above links to find out how to help. This is an area I am very passionate about and would love to hear how others feel about this. I welcome comments and emails!

Cross Country Skiing and how it Heals ME

I grew up in New York City and dancing and walking were my only means of physical activity. I did fine in Gym Class but never excelled at any sport. I hadn't tried downhill skiing until I was over 21 and a friend took me. Okay, so it was my boyfriend at the time who had been on skis since he could walk. He proceeded to laugh at me as I got off the ski lift and went uncontrollably straight down the hill terrified.... Learning sports as an adult had always seemed intimidating to me. But when my husband and I decided we were moving to upstate NY I told him I HAD to start a winter sport like cross country skiing to keep my sanity during the long winters.

I borrowed a pair of skis and I had a friend who had just gotten a pair from a garage sale. We went to the local park (being an old airport it is NICE and LEVEL), strapped the skis on and went. Luckily my friend Gina had gone once or twice years before so she knew the basic movements. This is now my 4th winter cross country skiing. I had no prior knowledge of it other than it was great exercise and it would get me outside even on the coldest of days. Taking up a sport with no prior knowledge gave me self-confidence and brought me SUCH happiness. I received cross country skis for Valentine's Day from my husband that year. (2004)

We have LONGGG winters in upstate, NY. Really from November until late March or even April it is COLD and there is usually a blanket of snow. Every Saturday morning is MY TIME to go out with my girlfriends and go skiing. Pictures above are (me, Gina, Ange) and (Gina, Jacki, Ange). Even when I was ill, it didn't matter if I didn't feel good, it didn't matter if it was below zero -- if there was snow on the ground I knew I was putting on my 4 layers of clothing and we were going. The winter can be a time of sadness and illness. The change in the weather, being stuck inside without opening windows, the holidays -- affording them and the obligations we tend to feel, the shortened days, not being out of the house with the kids for extended periods of time..... the list goes on.

Cross country skiing is EASY to pick up and inexpensive. Believe me - if I can do it -- anyone can. Skis, boots and poles can be bought for as little as $125 new or cheaper if you get them used. XCSKIWORLD has great information on cross country skiing and how it is GREAT exercise and not at all JUST for the physically fit. You can also go to your local sports store to find out what size skis and boots you should get.

This past weekend was my first time of the season out. I ended a hectic week and what I kept looking forward to was being out on Saturday. My husband took the kids and their friends sledding at the same park at the same time and my friend Jacki brought her 2 dogs that LOVE playing in the snow. No, the conditions weren't the best. The snow was more like mud or sludge and it felt like we were REALLY working out and trudging through rather than gliding much. But how healing it was! To be outside, wind and sun on my face, talking and laughing with friends and to leave any stresses I felt during the week of being cooped up inside behind.

We need fresh air ALL the time NOT just in the warm months to keep our bodies healthy. If you tend to get down in the winter or just need a way to get moving during the cold months I cannot recommend cross country skiing enough. You can borrow or rent skis and try it out. If you go to a local park there will be no repeated charges (many local parks even have trails they clear). Ask a friend or two to start it up with you. It's NOT even winter yet and there are a few months ahead of cold and snow... make sure you do something to keep your mood positive and to keep you moving! If you do try it, feel free to email me and tell me about your experience with it -- I'd LOVE to hear!

Eggscelence (Excellence) Award for Heal Pain Naturally

My friend Leena of Conceptis Addict was nice enough to give my blog an award of excellence. This award was started by Bradley of EgleNest. I started blogging to help others and I am happy to say I have received a bunch of emails from people telling me I have helped them already. What I didn't know was how much kindness and help I would receive. I have so many bloggers I could pass this award on to. I read many blogs frequently and have so many favorites. I have chosen a few that always make me say, "wow" and that inspire me to keep writing no matter WHAT obstacles I face.

To be healthy and whole you need to heal from within and that is just what personal development teaches. Currently personal development blogs are 70% of the blogs I read. So that and the fact that I believe reading them regularly has contributed to me STAYING HEALTHY is why I have decided to give the award to these bloggers. I also love blogs on computers, internet marketing and ones that make me laugh. If you do continue to pass on this award -- PLEASE include bloggers on other topics. If you visit these following blogs you will find easy and effective ways to change your life and heal from within. Everyone has something to learn and to work on in their life and these bloggers offer concrete, simple ways to do so that are heart-felt and intelligent. The rules of this award are just to pass it on by naming a few other bloggers (of any topic). But I wanted to tell you a bit about each and to include links to at least one of my favorite posts from each so you know where to start when looking at their voluminous work! : ) I haven't made my way through all their articles on all their blogs but always know where to go when I want to read something intelligent, witty, from the heart and to learn.

Aaron Potts of Today is That Day is the originator of Personal Development Partners. (PDP) PDP is a wonderful place to meet other people and ask any question you can imagine and get 10 intelligent answers. You can also meet people to mastermind with, join and get free wonderful resources, if you are blogger post articles to discuss with others along with MANY other perks. I have to include Aaron's post on Ho'oponopono as one of my favorites because he explains it so well and simply and gives you more resources to research it further.

Adam Kayce at Monk at Work -- One of my favorite posts so far of Adam's is "Are you One in a Million or One of a Million?". Adam's Book, "Silencing Overwhelm" is free when you subscribe to his blog and has REALLY helped me to prioritize tasks. Adam believes spirit infused business will change the world and with his wise words leading the way -- I have no doubt it will.

Albert Foong at Urban Monk wrote a 6,000 word post, "What your ego is and how to stop it from obscuring your inner peace and unconditional love" that I found brilliant. He says that his blog is an additional voice to attaining more bliss, love and success... and how right he is. I highly recommend reading his e-book, "Weary Person's Guide to Living in Joy and Changing Everything". You feel his emotion and knowledge in every post and I can see how he has helped so many people -- it doesn't get much better than that.

Greg Butler at Holistic Personal Development -- Greg and I have a special bond since we have both healed ourselves using holistic methods of several illnesses. Greg is very smart and knows so much about the body and how to heal it naturally. He understands how powerful the mind is and writes insightful posts on consciousness. I have to pick his posts "The Medical Death Sentence" and "An Integrative Medical Approach" because they are so close to my heart and state so clearly what I believe in but Greg offers lots more articles in many other areas of holistic personal development.

Edward Mills at Evolving Times -- A lot of his posts make me go "wow -- NOW I get it!" and are SO helpful to me. I am a Harry Potter fanatic so HAVE to mention his post, "16 Personal Development Lessons from Harry Potter" but I think a LOT of us could put his post "10 Tips for Staying Positive Around Negative People" to good use.

Lawrence Cheok of a Long Long Road writes about living a balanced life by managing your career, relationships and money and what a GREAT job he does of it. He just won an award from litemind for his post on "100 Resources to Improve Your Career, Relationships and Money" and you can see JUST how much work went into this post. A more personal one and one of my favorites is "7 Ways to Rekindle the Romance in Your Relationship".

Neil Sattin at Getting to the Heart of Personal Development and I met briefly at the Steve Pavlina meetup in NYC and stayed in touch. We have become friends and he is doing a wonderful job of maintaining his 2 blogs (the other is on natural dog training) He is also a songwriter and I see him being a great future songwriter and performer for children. I love Neil's post, "How to Apologize Effectively and Stop Being Right all the Time". My favorite song so far is a lullaby he wrote for his son Dash.

Priscilla Palmer and I met through her Personal Development List, talked at Personal Development Partners and have been friends ever since. She is such a smart, driven and insightful person and I enjoy reading her blog to get her outlook on MANY personal development issues. A favorite post is "Overcome the Mental Block of Non-Belief". She is a life coach -- I can see why and she is who I would want to coach me!

Steve Pavlina can probably be named the Godfather of personal development bloggers and there is a reason. I was lucky enough to meet him when he and his wife Erin (another wonderful blogger) had a meet-up in New York City. I was able to ask him a question that I had been struggling with and he quickly answered it for me and I haven't struggled with it since. His blog and forum are a great source of education, wit, camaraderie and knowledge. The posts that fascinated me the most was when he actually experimented with polyphasic sleep.

I would like to thank all of the above for their intelligence, writing abilities and their quality of work. I have learned so much from each of you already and know I will continue to learn more. I pass on this award of Excellence as a small token of my gratitude and deep respect for all of you.

Deepak Chopra -- The Soul of Healing Meditations

When it comes to power of the mind/body connection to be healthy or to heal pain I consider Dr. Deepak Chopra the foremost authority and my hero. While I was healing his "Soul of Healing Guided Meditations" on audio was able to calm me, still my mind and keep me present. I still listen to this some evenings when I need to relax and calm down and never tire of having him lead me through a meditation. When I saw that he has a whole series of healing available to watch on youtube I knew I had to watch and recommend them to ANYONE interested in learning about the mind/body connection.

I have read only a few of Dr. Chopra's books as of now but intend to make my way through most if not all of them. Ageless Body Timeless Mind was my first and is the one I refer to often. He speaks with the intelligence and authority of a doctor and the calmness of a spiritual teacher. He explains simply how powerful the body is and how we have a pharmacy within us. He speaks of the interconnectedness of the mind and our experiences with the body. He has great wisdom and yet is easy to understand and "just makes sense".







Thank you Alienx1976 for posting these videos on youtube so we can all enjoy and benefit from them. You will also find a lot of other wonderful videos on his youtube site. I have posted the first 3 in this series but if you are hooked as I am please visit alienx1976 or youtube to watch the remainder (there are 11 in the series).

I am so grateful for Dr. Chopra and his wisdom and I think he will play a key part in medicine becoming more integrative in our future. Thank you Dr. Chopra -- you have helped me to heal my pain as I know you have and will continue to help MANY others!

Meme -- Horoscopes

Leena from Conceptis Addict tagged me for this meme on Horoscopes. Thank you Leena for the tag. It was interesting to reflect on how I have viewed horoscopes throughout my life.

I've grown up with either friends or my mom reading horoscopes from the newspaper. If someone was looking at them and said "here are the horoscopes" I would ask to hear mine. I always looked to it as some form of entertainment and it did always raise my curiosity to hear what the stars were predicting for my birth-sign. I also remember during my junior high school years looking up the signs of the boys I liked and seeing if we were "compatible" according to the stars or not.... I now have my daily horoscopes on my home myyahoo page and usually will read it 3-4 times out of the 7 days in the week. I've never studied horoscopes so can't say whether I believe or don't believe. I know that if I read my horoscopes 4 days -- 3 of them will have say something of relevance to my life. Sometimes they make me stop and think about a certain situation -- which is never a bad thing! ; ) Intrigued is the word I would use to describe how I feel about horoscopes..... someday I hope to learn more.

The rules are simple:

1.Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2.Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3.Pick your month of birth.
4.Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5.Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6.Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

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AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

Birthday: August 17 -- Sign: Leo
Yes, I LOVE to joke and have fun and meet people. As a mom I also can be firm and lead when needed. I love compliments and am usually pretty hard on myself and sensitive but appreciative of criticism. I don't know about easily jealous but sometimes my self-confidence can get the better of me. I try to be observant and I love to console people and be caring and generous to others. I get temporarily miffed regularly but only get angry after the 10th time I have told my kids something, after being provoked or sometimes by ignorance or intolerance. I love to dream of my future as I know it will be. I love to give and aspire to live my life as Dr. Wayne Dyer says to -- believing EVERYONE has something to teach you. As a former dancer I believe in trying to stay fit and attractive and know I feel healthier and not in pain when I am thin and in shape.

Who do I tag? Well I won't tag 12 people...but this is an interesting one since everyone has had some sort of exposure to horoscopes in their lives.... Here are the people I tag and hope have the time to participate:

Govind Kumar at Transcendental Philosophy
Mike Carlson at Greater Life Success
Neil Sattin at Getting to the Heart of Personal Development
Steph White at Riquochet -- The Smart Marketers Blog

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Pasted as instructed:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Walks are not only GREAT for Exercise but also for Healing

Walking is by far my favorite exercise as well as my favorite way to clear my mind. I grew up in New York City so I was used to walking EVERYWHERE. Being outside and feeling the sun on your face somehow makes things seem OK. Walking alone, with a friend or music and headphones can change your mood entirely.

I live in upstate NY now and am fortunate enough to see mountains out my window and have this park pictured 3 blocks away from my home. I am at this park 2-3 times a week no matter what the weather is. I take my kids in the summer time to the playgrounds and in the winter they can sled there. I have taken walks and cross country skied there no matter WHAT the weather. My husband and I have had our "date night" there sitting by the dock and talking. No matter how I make it to this park, what the weather is or if I am with someone or alone -- I always come back refreshed.

If I am walking alone I do my gratitude first for being able to get out and walk outside and for the beauty around me and then let whatever it is come to my mind. If it is a problem I try and figure out possible solutions to the problem. If it is something good I acknowledge the good and feel grateful for it. I let my mind wander but do take notice of the flowers, mountains, animals, and pure beauty that only nature can hold. I've seen the moon rise over the mountains, I have seen deer, rabbits, groundhogs and tons of birds and every time I am thankful.
If I walk with a friend, friends or my husband at the park I am so happy to be out and talk and listen non-stop. The interaction along with the nature feels healing every time. My friend Angela is the person I walk with the most and we always stop and say JUST how beautiful it is. We always have a hug and a "thank you" because we know just how lucky we are to walk in such a beautiful place and to have each other's friendship. If one of us is having a bad day or just needs to talk we'll shoot each other a quick email saying "walk later?" or give a call and we know we will return later healed. In the winter I feel it is MOST important to get out and walk. You can always put on layers and make it a quick one. The air and the sun (or the moon) make you feel alive and can be a very quick cure for the "winter blues". Yes, it can be a pain and take a while to put on the layers of clothes and bundle but the effort is more than worth the result of how you'll feel when you come back.

Walking with music can also be very therapeutic. With MP3 players you can walk around with your whole music collection. You can pick certain songs to cause emotions or just set it to random and surprise yourself with what comes up. Walking with music playing has a meditative effect on me. Feeling the music and being in nature is so calming and beautiful. I usually make sure to play upbeat music for the more strenuous parts of the walk and I don't even realize I am exercising.

When I was ill I still went for walks. No, not as far but just getting out always made me feel more alive then sitting in and not moving. It doesn't have to be an hour and a half walk to make you feel better. Even 5 minutes can do the trick. Fresh air and a change of scenery are healthy and vital to healing.

Walks in nature are so beautiful but I did grow up walking in New York City and walks had the same effect there. The people and store watching, the parks, the energy of the city -- all of it made the action of walking seem non-existent. It doesn't matter where you are -- there are always places to walk and find beauty.

If you are looking to walk for weight loss, About.com offers a great article on how to know how many calories you are burning while walking. Walking improves your health and is about the easiest exercise program you can start since all you need is a good pair or shoes or sneakers. You can take your time, start off with small walks and make them longer as your endurance grows. Call a friend and try to set up a weekly meeting for a walk that way it is on the calendar and it will make you less likely to "skip it". There are tons of ways to take walks and lots of places to explore. Getting out and doing it is key and you will feel renewed, refreshed and healed not only physically but emotionally as well.

Being Grateful Heals

When I was ill the first step I used from the movie "The Secret" to heal myself was gratitude. While sick and in pain it seemed easy to concentrate on what I could not do, what pain I DID have, what events I would have to miss... When I became aware that "energy flows where attention goes" I knew the very first step was changing the way I was looking at my life and expressing gratitude.

I became aware of all the beauty around me. Having grown up in NYC I was not surrounded by mountains and trees as I now am in upstate NY. I became grateful for my family. My daughter and son who are good, smart, beautiful kids who can always make me laugh. My daughter being healthy even though she was born 9 weeks prematurely. My husband sticking with me through all my illnesses that left me in chronic pain. My husband and all the sacrifices he made for me when I was ill and his never-ending strength , support and love. My mom who would do anything and does PLENTY for me and my kids. My dad who taught me so much and is always there for advice. My friends and extended family that mean the world to me. Above is a picture of my girlfriends helping me to celebrate my birthday this year. They are a constant source of laughter, comfort, GREAT conversation and I am very grateful for them.

I started paying attention to the health I did have. I could walk after all. I could still read and loved to do so. I could talk to friends and family. I started being aware of every single goodness and blessing in my life. I could still write poetry and journal. I could still enjoy music. When I started to pay attention to what I had to be grateful for it felt like I was rediscovering life. So many of the years when I was ill was concentrated on doctor visits, reading up on illnesses, feeling the pain, being angry that I needed medication, etc. that I had forgotten about so many of life's treasures.

There were times when I first started that tears (happy ones) would fall as I went over my list. It seemed I could list things for an hour and not be done by a long shot. Why hadn't I done this before? What an amazingly powerful emotion gratitude is! I concentrated on the mountains on my drive and how beautiful it is where I live -- not where I was hurting or if I missed a light. I'd walk longer concentrating on how good the sun felt on my face or how nice it was to be out rather than on my leg hurting or how I MIGHT feel afterward.

I do my morning gratitude list every day while still in bed and again when in the shower. I say my gratitude list at night while I am about to go to sleep. If ever I get upset during the day I will stop and do a gratitude list either written or in my head. It is a GREAT method for getting refocused and for getting in the moment and letting worries and negative thoughts go.

This Thanksgiving we were supposed to be going to spend it with my husband's relatives. I LOVE my father in law, sister-in-laws and brother-in-law and rarely get to see them. Due to Ray getting a full time job recently and not having accrued vacation time -- we could not make the trip. I thought back to last year. Last year because of my health I would not have even been able to contemplate 15 hours in a car. Last year I would have been so upset and beaten myself up about not being able to keep plans. This year was so different because of who I am now. Yes, I missed his family a great deal but I was not beating myself up about us canceling. I know because my health will continue to be great I will have plenty of opportunities to visit and I am so grateful for that. I am so grateful we can book to be with Ray's family right after Christmas and I know I will be healthy enough to make the trip. I am so grateful Ray got offered a good job. Concentrating on what you are grateful for in a situation rather than what is wrong with the situation gives you strength and refocuses you. You can come up with gratitude for almost any part of your life if you stop and really look at the situation from all angles.

Finding gratitude is the number one tool that allowed me to heal all of my pain. I am grateful I have healed for so many reasons. I love that I can share my healing with people. I am so happy I have the simple tool of gratitude to keep me happy, focused and healthy.

To read testimonials about my e-book which outlines all the methods I used to heal myself please visit my e-book information page. Thank you!

Heal Pain by Saying "I AM Sorry"

When I woke up yesterday morning my daughter had green gunk coming out of her nose and my first thought was "How can she be sick again?". She had just gotten over 1 1/2 weeks home from school with bronchitis and had only been at school for 4 days. My second thought was, "Oh no, I am SO behind on my blog, projects I am working on, the house, groceries, etc. ALREADY -- how am I going to face this?"

I felt sorry for my daughter, sorry for myself and I did even call my husband (who was on his way to work) to rant, rave, complain and even get a bit teary. But luckily since discovering The Law of Attraction and becoming more aware -- after about a half hour of this I had had enough. I was able to stop myself and say "Ok, Jen you are upset -- but what can you DO about the situation?"

I have been reading up on Ho'oponopono lately. Aaron Potts of Today is the Day has an excellent post on it. I have put it into practice for the last 2 weeks and will share my results soon. But a key point to it is saying you are sorry. Saying the words "I am sorry" can heal you and heal whoever you say you are sorry to. Because I have been practicing this apologizing was the first thing that came to mind.

I knew saying "I am sorry" would heal me and the others I had affected. Sorry to my daughter -- that I was caught up in what her sickness meant for me and not first and foremost concentrating on how to get her better for good this time (well I'd settle for a month) ; ). I wrote my husband an email to say "sorry for unloading so early in the morning -- I know you have enough on your mind -- I will do my best". And then I wrote emails to the people I was supposed to have done work for and said "I am sorry -- I do not have the time to complete these and I will do my best to have them to you when I can". I then said sorry to myself for being so caught up in what I wanted to accomplish that I pushed all else aside, for setting hard to reach time-lines and for getting so upset to begin with. If you haven't apologized to yourself I HIGHLY recommend it. It is liberating and is much better than the "beating myself up about something" that I used to .

By the end of those apologies I felt so much better and healed of my anguish. "I am sorry" are powerful words. My friend Neil Sattin has an excellent post on "How to Apologize effectively".
By apologizing, you are admitting to yourself WHAT you are sorry about and you are taking responsibility for it. By doing that it allows you to move forward. If I had not apologized I would have felt down on myself and disappointed by what was not going to get done. A year ago (before studying the Law of Attraction) it would have wound up as some sort of physical manifestation as well such as a head or body ache.

There are people that have a very hard time saying "I am sorry". Some think it is a character flaw of some kind to admit they were wrong. I believe it takes strength and awareness to stop, notice your behavior and how it effects others and own up to it. If I snap at one of my kids when I am tired or preoccupied I will say I am sorry. How else will they learn to apologize when they have done something wrong? When you say you are sorry you are letting go of any feelings you may have of disappointment, hurt and pain. When you say "I am sorry" to yourself you can truly move on and get over what has been stewing and exaggerating in your brain.

Look at it from the other side and think of how you feel when you get an apology. Doesn't it feel so good to have someone apologize to you and to admit what they are sorry for? I know when I say "I am sorry" to my kids their eyes light up with joy. If I did not send messages out apologizing for being late with work -- the people I am doing work for might have thought I forgot, was lazy or just didn't care. Instead I got understanding messages back thanking me and telling me it was okay -- to take my time.

The next time you are upset with yourself for something you did or didn't do or say why not stop and take a minute. Think about what you are sorry for and say "I am sorry" to the person it affected as well as yourself and see how that makes you feel instead.

Revealing My Dream -- A Personal Development Challenge

My friend and fellow personal development blogger, Neil Sattin tagged me for the Reveal Your Dream Challenge. I love the idea and the most difficult thing is coming up with my #1 Dream because I have 2 I fantasize about every day so I'm breaking the rules to include my TWO DREAMS...

My first dream is to see my invention that I have been working SOOOO hard on for the last 3 years manufactured and on the shelves selling like hot cakes! I have the working prototype and am patent-pending currently thanks to a wonderful invention company; Davison. I have been told it is a WONDERFUL idea by the TOP companies in the field but am STILL at a stand still. The technology has changed significantly in the last year making my product EVEN more desirable for consumers but also requiring the need for me to change my prototype to get a real feel for what it would be like. Also the price point is high now and the product will need testing so I am asking companies to lay out upwards of $5 million to see it through to the first launch... a tall order but one I feel they would earn back 100 times over. What do I want in a manufacturer? Honesty, integrity, quality control and for them to be JUST as excited about the project as I am!

My second dream is to meet one or ALL of my 3 favorite heroes (Oprah Winfrey, Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra) because of the work I have done with helping people heal their pain. I REALLY want to make a difference and teach people about all the many natural methods there are for pain relief and pain management out there. Healing myself of chronic pain was my greatest accomplishment. I have helped a few people already and there is nothing more rewarding than someone saying "I feel so much better and I know now how to manage my health naturally -- thank you". Deepak Chopra's writings on the mind/body connection and his guided meditations truly helped me heal and I continue to read and learn from him. I have Wayne Dyer quotes taped in front of my desk and his words always resonate within me. I also share Dr. Dyer's book "Incredible You "with my children (it is their favorite book). It is an excellent way to teach children of the powers within to heal and deal with life. Oprah Winfrey has been my idol for so many years for numerous reasons including how real she is and how she helps others. To have the opportunity to meet one of these people that have inspired me would mean I MADE a difference for thousands of people and that is my intention. I would like to be able to say "Thank you" in person and to be looked at by them as someone who DID something to help people.

So that's the 2 -- I'm not asking TOO much am I? I can't really choose one since they are both daily dreams.... I hope and will continue to dream that someday they BOTH will come true! Thanks Neil -- it is wonderful to dream and to reveal them and share them with others somehow seems to make them more real.... GREAT Challenge!

Here are the rules according to Neil: ; )

The Rules

1. Reveal your dream for the world to see, either on your blog (if you’re a blogger) or in the comments of a blog (like this one).
2. Remember, it’s a dream - so aim high! If your inner critic tells you that your dream isn’t “realistic”, tell your inner critic to take a hike. State one of your wildest dreams AS IS.
3. Tag some other bloggers, or friends. Don’t forget this step!
4. Links back to this post are appreciated, but not essential. You could just mention that you’re responding to the Reveal Your Dream challenge on NeilSattin.com.
5. That’s it - start manifesting

6. One last thing

   You’re allowed to have many dreams, but you don’t have to reveal EVERYTHING for the world to see - just pick one of them for this challenge. Also, the beauty of being human and having the freedom of choice is that you can always change your mind - and by setting the wheels in motion for the dream you mention you’ll be able to make an informed choice. Reveal your dream for the world to see. It’s risky, but I promise you’ll thank me down the road. Oh, and please keep in touch - I want to hear how it all goes!

I think this is a great challenge and am tagging the following people to keep it going:
Greg Butler at Holistic Personal Development
Tina Su at Think Simple Now
Leena at Conceptis Addict
Karl Staib at Mind and Body Health
Simon at The Secret of Life

Can't wait to hear all your dreams!

Can Puzzles and Games Heal?

It is so wonderful to see my 2 passions meet -- games and natural healing. I maintain a blog on kids non-violent computer games and have loved games since I can remember. To find Gil Galante who is an expert on games and puzzles (as his site ConceptisPuzzles clearly shows) was SUCH a blessing. In September Gil posted an article on his blog (Individual At Home) titled, "Puzzles as Pain Relievers" which says it all.

Last week when I talked about ways to stay sharp mentally I mentioned games like Sudoku, Chess, etc. It didn't even dawn on me to talk about the ways that games can actually distract you, entertain you, relieve stress and actually act as a painkiller as Gil points out.

We play a LOT of games in our house. From board games, logic games, puzzles, adventure games to games on the Wii where the 4 of us are up jumping around the living room. Playing games puts the whole family in a GREAT mood (Ok -- maybe not all the time as my 8 and 4 year old are still learning how not to win gracefully). I encourage games and puzzles that work the brain for my kids. I will let them play something mindless occasionally but only if they've recently played other educational games.

The Law of Attraction states how what you concentrate on expands. When I was ill I was very aware of my chronic pain and spent a lot of time lying or sitting down. Doing Sudoku was one of the things that did help. When I was playing I had to concentrate in order to solve the puzzle and while I might have been aware I wasn't feeling GREAT-- by focusing on something else my pain went to the back of my mind. I highly recommend reading Gil's article... "Puzzles as Pain Relievers". Funnily enough I never thought of them as such but looking back they sure helped me get through some rough days!

There are tons of different puzzles you can find online for free. Some take only a few seconds and some can take hours. I'd recommend finding a site you like -- like ConceptisPuzzles, Shockwave, or the many others available and playing a little while. A few minutes will give you the distraction you need, relax you, get your brain going and entertain you at the very least. I always leave a puzzle game feeling a little more awake, relaxed and focused and ready to get back to work! ; )

Prescription Drugs Numb Pain But Do Not Heal Pain

I wrote at Ezine article by this same title "Prescription Drugs Numb Pain But Do Not Heal Pain" a few months back. It occurred to me as I came across the post today that while this is SUCH an important issue for me -- I have never discussed it on my blog.

Since writing the article I have seen even more people around me be affected by prescription drug use. In addition to the CDC's Study on The Overuse of Prescription Painkillers, I recommend reading the more political take on the situation set forth by Dr. Mercola. Dr. Mercola is one of the leading contributors on health, health products and living well articles and resources and this video is about the town of Allopath.


Certainly there are very real conditions that warrant pain killers. Believe me -- I was in chronic pain for years and I know and remember clearly JUST how debilitating chronic pain can be. My message is one I have said before in my post on finding a GOOD Doctor that Treats the WHOLE You. PLEASE if you are ill or you know someone that is ill seek out other holistic treatments as well. Make SURE you have a good doctor that isn't just labeling you and handing you pills. What OTHER pain management techniques can you learn so you can limit these medications? ASK your doctor! What work can you do on your emotional state that might help the physical feel better? Being in pain can cause depression and stress which worsens most conditions. Are you open to learning methods on the mind/body connection that even if they don't heal you 100% will undoubtedly make you feel significantly better? 99% of the information I found was free online. What do you have to lose?

When I was taking pain killers I did feel better physically for the period of time they worked for -- then I plummeted into a worse pain. My tolerance built up so quickly and I hate to think what kind and what dosage of pills I would be on now if I had continued. I was 35 when doctors started offering me any pain pill I wanted.

I know people that have been put on hydrocodone or some other pain prescription for an injury and YEARS later are still struggling with dependence issues WAY after the pain has been gone. I've been talking to lots of people about health the last year and in my journey have heard horror story after horror story. People who have lost close friends or family (we're talking mid-20-40 year olds) to overdoses of these pills. People who have lost friends or family because of the gastrointestinal damage these pills do long term. People who have had friends or family develop worse conditions from their long term use. Teachers who have seen KIDS in their schools on these medications they took from their parents or a friend's parents.

The more studies that are done the more results are showing that these prescription pain killers have horrible long term effects on your body. I feel everyone owes it to their own body to be as healthy as they can be and if needed take medications to supplement that. I am still on coumadin for my blood disorder (don't get me started on that drug since it is really "rat poison"). I have my blood monitored regularly and HOPE someday to be free of it. But I am on no more pain pills. I have taken regular Tylenol twice since healing myself and have just had my first mini-illness a few weeks back. This is from someone who has always gotten colds, bugs and was in chronic head-to-toe pain for several years. In January I will celebrate a year of GREAT health!

It is possible to be pain pill free for MANY people who suffer from chronic pain -- not ALL but MANY. Find a good Doctor. If it's a loved one that's ill present them with information on alternative healing. There are so many methods -- find what rings true to you. Study Deepak Chopra, visit Dr. Mercola's site, see The Secret, study up on EFT or the Sedona Method, make a gratitude list so when you're really down you have somewhere to look for encouragement, find a meditation on youtube that relaxes you, pay attention to the influences around you, .... there are countless ways to heal yourself for free with NO medications....

If you are on a lot of prescription medications you must consult your doctor because serious withdrawal symptoms may occur. When I was on pain killers they numbed my pain and allowed me to get through my day. Now that I healed myself I am pain free and enjoy every day to its fullest naturally without worrying about side effects.

I am always available for anyone that wants to investigate ways to better their health. Just send me an email at jennymannion@yahoo.com and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have and give you tons of resources that helped me. My goal is to empower others to find out all they can about alternative medicine and natural ways to heal.