Flash Forward into Your Ideal Life

Last week I watched the first episode of the new TV show FlashForward. It’s a science-fiction program that begins with everyone on the planet blacking out for just over two minutes and getting a glimpse of their lives six months into the future. For some, it’s a distressing view, for others, a joyful picture and for one character, there is nothing.  Definitely intriguing, particularly as you watch some of the futures begin to take shape in minor ways!  Questions you tend to ask yourself – how did it happen … will the futures actually materialize … do we have a choice … can we change the outcome … why did it happen? Of course you have to watch the series to find out. 

What came to my mind as I watched the show were issues that have arisen during my Passion Test workshops.  For some people, creating a list of what is truly important in their lives (i.e. their passions) is a difficult task.  If I asked you the question, what do you want your life to look like in six months, would you know? More importantly, would you be absolutely clear on the details or would your mind conjure up vague ideas such as “not having a schedule, “getting lots of money”, “working in a job I love” etc.  Bringing your ideal life into reality requires absolute clarity.  Only then will you have focus and direction.  Only then will you notice those opportunities that will bring you closer to your goals.

Coming back to FlashForward, we don’t know what our lives are going to look like in six months, but if we’re not satisfied NOW and don’t start making changes, we’ll end up with more of the same. Isn’t it time to give yourself the gift of grabbing your future “by the horns” and taking the first step towards the life you visualize in your dreams!

If that sounds exciting to you and you are motivated to find focus and clarity, contact me (evelin(at)blueprints4change.com) and let’s discuss beginning your Personal Strategic Plan.

Midlife Health: Brain Power

Feel like you’re becoming a little forgetful?  Does your thinking become fuzzy at times?  Are you having trouble concentrating? 

Declining brain function is not synonymous with aging.   There are many middle-aged people who are as sharper, if not more so, than younger people. Take a look at your brain’s diet – you may need more brain nutrition.

• Avoid trans fats – the chemicals replace natural DHA in brain cell membranes and disrupt neuron communication.
• Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) – the brain is composed of 60% EFAs. Keep it well oiled with omega-3 oils (spinach, sprouts, avocado, arugula and other leafy greens, fish, shellfish, olive oil, nuts and seeds, wheat germ, beans).
• Drink lots of water – short term memory is affected by a lack of body fluids.

Exercise is also key to keeping the brain nourished.  It increases oxygen and blood supply which the brain depends on for wellbeing.

Laughter can do wonders for your health and your mind.  It’s hard to be depressed when you’re laughing. Here’s a poem I recently came across that may make you smile….

A Little Mixed Up

Just a line to say I’m living,
That I’m not among the dead.
Though I’m getting more forgetful
And more mixed up in the head.

For sometimes I can’t remember,
When I stand at foot of stairs,
If I must go up for something,
Or if I’ve just come down from there.

And before the fridge so often
My poor mind is filled with doubt
Have I just put food away?…or
Have I come to take some out?

And there’s times when it is dark out,
With my night cap on my head
I don’t know if I’m retiring
Or just getting out of bed.

So…if it’s my turn to write you
There’s no need of getting sore,
I may think that I have written
And don’t want to be a bore!!

So, remember…I do love you
And I wish that you were here,
But now it’s nearly mail time,
So I must say good-bye my dear.

There I stood beside the mail box
With a face so very red
Instead of mailing you my letter,
I had opened it instead!!

My bifocals fit – my dentures are fine
My hearing aid works … but … I do miss my mind!!!

— Author Unknown

Midlife Health: Herbal Energy Tonics

Rhodiola Rosea

In this fast-paced world I frequently hear comments such as “I’m so tired even though I get enough sleep” or “my energy levels aren’t what they used to be” or “why can’t I keep up?”. 

Is there something we can do about low energy, feeling weak or mentally fuzzy?

There is if we explore the world of herbal adaptogens.  This is a relatively new concept in the Western world but has been the basis of the preventative approach to health and wellness in the East.  Adaptogens work in such a way as to improve the body’s adaptability.  That is, they counteract physical and emotional stress by helping the body “around” the problem via the support of glands and other functions. They give the body a “tune-up”, in a broad spectrum way, helping many conditions without overpowering the cells as many drugs do.  Read on to find out which one may be right for you.

Rhodiola Rosea is an ancient folk remedy promoted by scientists in the former Soviet Union to boost the performance of Olympic athletes and astronauts. It increases energy and stamina, enhances alertness and concentration and can help fuzzy memory.

Panax Ginseng promotes regeneration from stress and fatigue and rebuilds strength. If a person is overworked and stressed out, ginseng can help. It is more effective taken over several months than in short-term doses.

Siberian Eleuthero improves physical and mental performance as well as boosting the immune system. A long-term energy tonic for the adrenal glands and the circulation.

Schisandra protects the liver, improves cognitive function, reduces irritability and helps to promote sleep.  It works synergistically with Eleuthero against stress, weight gain and fatigue.

Ashwagandha has been cultivated in India and the Middle East for centuries.  It improves stamina and immune function, combats stress and anxiety and shows antioxidant and mood-elevating properties.

Reishi Mushrooms are considered the “elixir of life” in traditional Chinese medicine. They are traditionally used as a health and energy tonic, boosting immunity, easing allergies, regulating blood sugar and helping the liver regenerate.

All material is provided for informational or educational purposes only. Consult a physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or condition

Midlife Health: Manage your Stress by Becoming a Child

With all the stresses and busy-ness of today’s life, take some time to remember how “simple” things were when you were a child.  How much fun it was just to skim a rock across a still lake, wander through the woods with your dog, skip rope with friends in the park, feed seagulls on the beach!  No responsibilities, no worries, nothing to do except have fun.  Consider becoming a child again, at least for a short period of time.  Your responsibilities will still be there when you return but they will seem less burdensome after your break.

Resignation

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald’s and think that it’s a four-star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a pavement with rocks.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and play doctors and nurses with my friends on a hot summer’s day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple; when all I knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, and it didn’t bother me, because I didn’t know what I didn’t know and I didn’t care.

All I knew was to be happy because I was blissfully unaware of all the things that should make me worry or upset.

I want to think the world is fair … that everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don’t want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So . . . here’s my checkbook and my car-keys, my credit card bills and my mobile phone. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you’ll have to catch me first, cause…
……”Tag! You’re it.”

— Author Unknown

Midlife: Walking the Talk

Today I’d like to share a guest post with you …

Walking the Talk

Most conversations seem to be carried on while people aren’t moving.  Instead, they are seated around a table, in a restaurant booth, on a park bench, at an office desk.  Does their being sedentary affect the quality of communication?

Probably, yes.  For example, persons seated across from one another may be more confrontational.  As well, people seated may be more “fixed” in their viewpoints, just as they are fixed in their seats.  Furthermore, where you sit often signals who has more power.  The one at the head of the table tends to be the chairperson or the boss.  Spacing and seating like this are concerns of the science of proxemics devised by anthropologist Edward T. Hall and explained in his classic book, The Hidden Dimension.

What, if any, might be the advantages of talking while walking?

1.  When persons walk together, side by side, they almost always walk in rhythm, almost like a dance.  When “in sync,” we humans feel more similar and collaborative and thus more prone to common understanding and agreement.  That’s a plus.

2.  Talking while walking side-by-side has the effect of diffusing intensity because we’re not looking directly at each other.  Because we must look where we’re stepping, our full attention can’t be on the other person.  This lessened attention can also be positive, at least in certain situations.

3.  When we are walking, we are not only getting some exercise, but also our bodies are releasing “good chemicals” – the endorphins that lift our mood.  (Physicians typically prescribe “take a walk in the park” for patients who suffer from depression.) As well, even gentle exercise like walking can have the effect of raising the serotonin level in one’s system, the result being an enhancement of mood and reduction of anger and aggression.  Certainly, talking is more congenial when we’re in a good mood.

4.  Walking in nature can be especially powerful in stimulating good feelings.  Strolling through a rose garden, down a lushly tree-lined path, or in a redwood forest gives us awesome beauty and may induce a broader perspective on differences we may have with others. 

5.  For those who might think that to talk about serious topics we must be seated, as at a conference table or in a classroom, I’ll remind you of Jesus and Buddha, teaching their disciples while walking.  And of the “peripatetic school” of Aristotle and his own teacher, Plato, known for discussing big ideas while walking around.  In modern times, history describes significant diplomatic negotiations that took place during “a walk in the woods.”

6.  Finally, I have often observed “mall walking” by small groups of friends.  (Here in Las Vegas, far too hot for walking outside in the summertime, shopping malls allow these groups to walk for exercise before stores open.)  These groups are not only exercising, but they’re creating lively social events.  Everyone’s walking, and most walkers are talking.  And the socializing seems to be more fun than if they were sedentary in a coffee shop.

I hope this short article has given you some good reasons for “walking your talk.”  Doing so has some advantages.

(Dr. Loren Ekroth, a national expert on conversation, publishes a complimentary newsletter each week.  Subscribe at www.conversationmatters.com)

Midlife Stress: The Need for Approval Leads to Indecision

Here is the fourth post in my series of “are you plagued by stressful thinking patterns?”

Do you find yourself procrastinating frequently and unable to make decisions? A possible reason may be your need for approval.  Perhaps you need acceptance and permission from others so that you can feel comfortable in decision-making and daily living. The degree of the need for approval ranges from being self-sufficient to being dependent.  The more you need approval for your actions, the more dependent you become on others to determine your self-worth.

How many of the following statements are true for you?

• I harbor insecurities
• I am over cautious
• I seem wishy-washy
• I imitate others
• I am reluctant to try anything new
• I have many fears
• I appear anxious
• I need to put on a false front
• I tend to tell people what I think they want to hear
• I work hard for the approval of others
• I worry about whether people like to be with me
• I bend over backwards to please others
• I find it difficult to take control of my own life
• I worry about being rejected by others
• I always follow, never lead
• I fear risk-taking
• I fear making mistakes
• I am filled with self-pity
• I negate my own ideas
• I accomplish little on my own
• I have a limited social life

Any of these statements make an excellent starting point for EFT. If you would like help in getting rid of your need for approval, contact me at evelin(AT)blueprints4change.com or visit my website http://www.blueprints4change.com

A related post you may wish to read is Do you have a Poor Self Image? http://budurl.com/ep6s