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.

Think Differently Challenge -- Ask for a Little Help

I've mentioned my "issue with being a perfectionist" and trying to let it go. Truly this is one of those BIG Goals I talked about in my previous post so I will be breaking it down into mini-goals. The first mini-goal is to ask for a little help.

I was tagged by Greg Butler of Holistic Personal Development to take part in this Think Differently Challenge. Peter of IwillChangeYourLife.com. started this challenge and I am using it to address my issue of not being able to ask for help. I am going to try my hardest to change this and I will give you an update somewhere down the line and let you know how it is going.

Even when ill and in pain it felt like such a struggle to ask for help. I was the helper, the do-er, the one who could take care of the kids, the house, my friend's that needed advice -- even if I was wincing in pain. I love to give to people and I am not so great at receiving. When my husband sees me obviously exhausted from a long day working, taking care of the kids, cleaning the house and running errands he comes home and asks what can he do to help. My response is usually "nothing -- I've got it". My mom does TONS for me and our family -- she knows me better than to ask -- she just DOES to avoid me saying "no". She still gets upset with me not asking for help. Just last night she said 'Why didn't you tell me you needed that -- I was at that store -- you KNOW I would have picked it up for you..." Most of my friends won't even ask what they can do for me because they have asked so many times and know what my answer will be....

Well get ready everyone I'm about to ask for some help! Yes, I would love more time for myself, with my husband or with my girlfriends. Get ready I'll be asking! Yes, I would love ideas to write about and for people to proof read some of my stuff. Yes, single play-dates for my kids so I can spend individual time with them -- how wonderful! Yes, we'd love to blow some stuff off and catch up with friends -- I'll be calling! Yes, I could use someone to talk to and I will reach out the next time I am down! I want people to vote for me in The Blog for a Year Competition and I will be asking! If I practice these enough they will in time become habit and it will be natural!

It's OK that I cannot do everything and be everything to everyone at all times. Everyone can benefit from help and receiving. I will ask and I know I will receive and BOY will I be grateful for it! I'm ready to give up some control and let go of the notion that everything has to be perfect. It is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength and awareness to realize when you can use a hand and that people WANT to help you. I am thinking differently and will now start to act accordingly.

The most ironic thing about this is I feel like every day for several months I have been preaching the same thing to my 4 1/2 year old daughter Christina. She is very independent and would rather huff and puff and struggle trying to move a heavy object than to admit she needs a hand. Wonder where she got that bad habit from? : ) Luckily there was a song that came from one of her favorite cartoons on Nick Jr. "Wow Wow Wubbzy" that says it all "Ask for a Little Help". Below is the video -- the song is only the first minute and a half...


We'd sing and dance to it and I feel like it has sunk in for her. This week she stayed out of school with bronchitis. For the first time she came to me for help. Whether it was with her computer, opening something, putting something away or reaching for something, she's said "Mommy, I need some help". She's recovered and still continues to ask and I make sure I tell her "Yes, Christina -- mommy LOVES helping you -- thanks for asking". Now it's time for mommy to learn!

Thanks Greg for the tag. I needed this little wake up call! Here's the info on the Challenge:

The Think Different Challenge is all about finding something in your life you currently have negative thoughts or feelings towards (eg work or your mother-in-law), and deciding to look at it differently. It is about realizing that some things are just a part of life, so we may as well try to find the positives in them.

Who Can Participate?

This is an online writing project, so anyone who can publish text and active links on the internet can participate. Having your own website or blog is not a requirement, just write a post with links in your favorite social networking site.

The Rules

1. Write a new blog post in which you “think different”. Follow my suggestions above, or be a bit different and interpret the challenge the way you want.
2. State that the post is a part of the Think Different Challenge and include a link and/ or trackback to this post so that readers know the rules of the challenge. Feel free to use the above banner (inspired, of course, by Seth Godin).
3. Include a link and/ or trackback to the blogger who tagged you.
4. At the end of your post, go ahead and tag some fellow bloggers. Don’t forget to email them to let them know they have been tagged.
5. That’s it! Just sit back and enjoy reading peoples’ responses to the challenge.

I want to continue this challenge and I’ve decided to tag the following:

Adam Kayce at Monk at Work

Deb at Fibro-Free

Stacie at Everyday Reflections

Isabella Mori at Moritherapy

Don't be surprised if the next time we talk I ask you for help with something! ; ) Have fun with this one -- I did!

Mini-Goals to Heal Pain and Move Forward with Life

PHYSICAL
What are your physical goals? Do you want to lose weight, exercise more, eat less, get stronger, increase endurance, feel less pain? To lay them all out like that may seem like you are setting a goal -- but if you just leave it like that will you honestly get there just by wishing it so? The more you break it down the better chance you have of obtaining the goal.

I want to lose "that last 5 pounds" and feel more fit and strong. My mini steps are to

1. Walk a minimum of 45 minutes 3 times a week. (or cross country ski soon)
2. Do 1-2 Exercise on Demand Workouts a week
3. Drink water regularly -- at least 6-8 glasses a day
4. Become conscious on everything I eat and to eat slowly. Thanks Alex Shalman for the reminder in your article Three Little Things to Make Your Life Better Today! With 2 kids it's easy to inhale! : )

Suddenly my final goal seems more obtainable. If I concentrate on one of these at a time I can do it and it will not seem overwhelming. They will become habits as I change my behavior and I can move onto the next.... I have gotten the walking down and the water drinking now I have the other 2 to work on.... Soon my goal will be met and I experienced tons of joy and feelings of accomplishment as I crossed off the other 2.

I make sure I stop and feel grateful for every mini goal met. When a big goal is met I am overjoyed, take the time to be grateful and appreciate and then after a while set up a new major goal in that area. Just as healing was my first physical goal and I just outlined the one I'm currently working on.

EMOTIONAL
Relational
Emotional encompasses your own emotions as well as the emotions you experience in relationships. How do you want your relationships to be with your spouse, kids, parents, friends? What mini-steps could you use to get there? Do you need more time with them? Better communication? More time doing a different activities?

• My husband and I use 2 steps that I think are wonderful and have helped to keep us so close. We have "date night"whenever we can. Whether it be a long walk or a night out on the town the time away from the house, kids and the "to-dos" do wonders and help us to reconnect.

• The other is on the 26th (our anniversary is July 26) of every month we look into each other's eyes, assess the last month, talk and say 'I love you". It might not have been the easiest month or it may have been a wonderful month. But to know that on the 26th we give gratitude to our love and relationship can heal whatever we have been through and helps us to know we always have each other.

• If I am feeling upset it helps to make a list of all the wonderful traits of the person I am upset with.

• I set mini goals in these areas consistently and they seem to change with whatever relationships I feel "need work" and extra attention at that time.

Your emotions
How do you want to feel? We know with the Law of Attraction in order to receive more good you need to feel good! I am not saying to walk in a happy fog and not notice when things aren't going your way... But better not to dwell in the negatives and to use them to contrast what you do want.

• A gratitude list is a great way to feel good. Going through in your mind who and what you are grateful for upon waking and before bed are excellent ways to do this.

• I have been known to use the rubber band and snap myself out of those lingering negative thoughts.

• What makes you feel good? Do more of it.

• Who makes you feel good? See more of them! Set mini goals to ensure you do so.

MENTAL
I feel I have to constantly educate myself or I become very bored and disconnected. Do you have a passion? Set some goals to learn more about it. There are so many free resources on the internet and at the library. I receive so many newsletters and e-books on the law of attraction, personal development, health, internet and computer games and I LOVE learning and becoming more knowledgeable.

• Crosswords, Sudoku, Chess all have been proven to sharpen your mental abilities. If you exercise your brain consistently just like you would your body you will find you take in information and process it easier than before.

• Learn more about something you love or something you have been curious about for a while. Setting goals for educating yourself and expanding your mind will leave you open for inspiration and increase your self confidence.

FINANCIAL
Ok -- so I want to be "financially free" -- but WHAT does that mean for me and HOW in the world do I get there? The best way to approach this is to look at your strengths, set some goals and break them down as far as you can.

I believe in the multiple streams of income approach so that if one thing doesn't work out you have some other kind of support system in place. I have a few passions and have combined them into my goals. A successful blog, successful internet ventures and getting my invention manufactured. All of these needed mini goals for me to take any steps.

• What are your strengths? What do you want to do? Maybe you need to take Steve Pavlina's How to Discover Your Life's Purpose in 20 Minutes Exercise to move onto the next step.... The important thing is a break down of how much you need to live, how much you can realistically expect to make at each of the ventures, education in the areas you want to excel in and mini goals to make it all take shape.

• Everyone who has excelled has taken several steps to get there and had the determination to do so.... you can do it... you need to Ask Believe Receive as the Law of Attraction and 'The Secret" say or you can use the other approach. I just read a post on Raymond's Attracting Your Goals blog that puts it in a different way. What BDH has to do with the Law of Attraction. It's a great post and I was happy to find it because it gives another way of looking at things. BDH stands for Be Do Have and I believe that in order for you to succeed ACTION is key. You have to Be the person you want to be and Do the actions necessary to Have what you desire. Thanks for the insight Raymond!

SPIRITUALITY
I used to think Spirituality was JUST about religion but now I know differently. My beliefs don't fit into any one category "Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism". I believe religion/spirituality is a personal choice that has to resonate within you. If you can find that within one religion that is wonderful for you and churches and religious communities certainly have a lot to offer. I was fortunate enough to be exposed to many religions and through yoga, meditation and reading discovered spirituality. I think it is very important to feel spiritually connected and I have gained a lot in my last years' exploration. I have become more aware, I have become even more interested in pursuing religious and philosophical readings and I know how important it is to feel like you are connected and not alone. My goals keep changing in this area and I adjust my mini-goals accordingly.

• Readings, meditations, gratitude -- taking time for each are all part of my mini-goals to achieving the state of spirituality that I want to be in.

I didn't set goals in all these areas at once nor do I expect myself to excel in all of them at the same time. My health was the most important when I was ill and I focused on that and spirituality to help me heal. Now my focus has changed to financial and continued health as I progress in my other areas. These goals will change a bit as life takes me in unexpected directions as life seems to do. It's OK -- I will adjust my mini-goals accordingly and know my road has changed for a reason.

If you don't have goals -- how will you know if you've gotten to where you want to be? Use goal setting to help heal whatever physical and emotional hurdles you want to tackle. If you get exhausted just thinking about your goals -- mini goals may be just the baby steps you need to help you reach your maximum potential in ALL areas of your life.

Can you Heal from ADD Without Prescription meds?

I have a met a great fellow blogger; Greg Butler, who has also gone the natural healing route. He has used it to heal himself of the pains associated with ADD. Greg maintains a blog on Holistic Personal Development. Meeting Greg has been wonderful since we agree on a lot about traditional medicine, its limitations and a more integrative approach to medical practices. Meeting him also has me thinking about ADD and ADHD again which I used to give quite a lot of thought to.

After I stopped graduate school in NYC I had many jobs. It took 2 years of lots of part time jobs before I started my own desktop publishing business. MOST of the part time jobs involved working with children. I taught computers to children at 2 very different computer learning centers, tutored children privately in computers and also was an assistant art teacher for an elementary school after-school program. The exposure to kids made me very aware of the different learning styles of children and I always tried to cater my teaching towards the individual child. I was told of the kids who had ADD and ADHD and whether or not they were on medications which made me aware of how widely it was being treated. It also made me aware of some children that were on the medications seeming "distant" or "not there" with me as they went through the motions of whatever I was teaching.

I remember being concerned because SO MANY children were being medicated and that was 15 years ago. Now the US and Canada medicate kids for ADD at RECORD highs. I understand that schools are over-crowded and that teachers have their hands full. I also understand that parents are working harder than ever and have less time for their kids. But I also am aware that these drugs were not available years ago and somehow everyone got by OK. I am hoping these drugs are not being made available for the greatest purpose being controlling behavior that is challenging for parents and teachers to deal with.

I subscribe to a bunch of parenting magazines and blogs online to keep up on things involving my own 2 children. It was very interesting to me when I received one last week on how to tell if your child is "gifted". With gifted meaning ahead in one or more areas of other children their age. The tell tale signs included:

• Is relentlessly curious and never seems to stop asking questions , is unusually active, has a vivid imagination. Gifted children often create a vast and intricate network of imaginary friends with whom they become very involved.

• Is able to memorize facts easily and can recall arcane information that he learns from television shows, movies, or books.

Other signs of giftedness may be a little harder to discern. By age 3 or 4, for example, some gifted children begin to realize that they are "different" from their peers. This can make them feel isolated and withdrawn; it may also make them likely targets for bullying.

They may begin to experience intense frustration because they can think more rapidly than they can express themselves, verbally or physically. If your child appears unusually angry or frustrated, you may want to consult a mental health professional.

I immediately noticed the similarities between signs of giftedness and signs of ADD. A help guide online for kids lists the positive symptoms of having ADD and it seemed VERY similar as the "being gifted signs". The next day I read Greg's article on ADD and it seemed even more shocking to me. A lot of the GREATS in our history might have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. If they were on these medications so they "controlled some of these behaviors that weren't the norm" would that have hindered their imaginative and creative sides?

There are natural ways to control MANY diseases and there are many doctors who immediately jump to prescribed medications as the only means.... I think it's important kids and adults are going to doctors that look at the whole picture and the whole person and aren't whipping out the prescription notepad before other options are explored.

Please check out Greg's article on ADD. It is inspirational and eye-opening. Yes, there are many people who benefit from modern medicines but don't you want to make sure you or your child ABSOLUTELY needs it and can't be helped it some other way before starting one? Many medications taken long term have serious side effects and can be more harmful than the original diagnoses itself. Even if you decide to medicate wouldn't it be good to also know what would naturally help the diagnosis as well?

I think it's time for our schools and our doctors to take another look at ADD and offer some concrete ways that don't involve medications to deal with this illness. There are a lot of positive qualities that could be nurtured and celebrated in these children who see life a bit differently. This site offers lots of good information and treating the child with ADD and tells about some of side effects of the medications typically prescribed for it.

Thanks Greg for your story, your friendship and for reawakening my interest in the diagnosis and treatment of ADD.

Victim of My Own Mind

I haven't written more this week because I have been ill. It is the first time I have been "sick" since I healed myself of chronic pain. I have all the symptoms back I used to have daily which is flu-like (aches, dizziness, nauseousness, loss of appetite, general lack of energy). It has been a real "wake-up" call to me.

While better for the last 10 months I have been putting enormous amounts of pressure on myself to "make up for lost time" and to be the superwoman I always have striven to be. I have wanted to succeed in all areas of my life and have been putting an enormous amount of pressure on myself to do it all NOW. I have been slacking on meditation and some of the tools I used that helped me the most due to "no time". What could be more important than time for my mind to clear and focus?

I read Steve Pavlina's latest post and that was another wake-up. He has been ill as well and has been using the time to assess. I will do that as well. This is obviously a call from my body for help and I intend to listen. I will reapply my methods adopted the first time I healed myself and make more of a conscious effort to keep those practices daily in my life. I will attempt to "let myself off the hook" of all my to-do's and concentrate on my top 3.

Even when you think you have it all figured out there are times needed to reassess. I was not stopping to listen to my mind because I was too bogged down in the day to day challenges life has been throwing at me -- and my body reacted to get my attention. I have faced some serious challenges in my personal life this week and have not taken the mental time to figure out ways I can deal with them constructively and what I can learn from them. Instead I have felt sad, preoccupied, a bit lost and disconnected. I will take this weekend to relax, think, meditate and look forward to coming back to my blog next week with peace and determination and I will try and leave the perfectionism behind! : )