This is going to be a group reflective post. Its less about my opinion and more about your thoughts.

I want to know what you think your life would look like if you consistently:

• Ate healthy.
• Got your required amount of sleep.
• Exercised daily.
• Focused on the positive.

How would your life be different if you practiced these four things?

How do you think society as a whole would look like if these 4 things were practiced?

If you are doing all these things already please share with everyone your experiences.

Please comment below.

I spent almost three hours today climbing a 40 foot cherry tree, pickin’ cherries. My big plan is to pit them and then run them through a masticating juicer to make some delicious sweet jam packed with nutrients cherry juice.

I was musing this afternoon that the with the time it is going to take from picking to juicing it would be much more economical to buy the juice in the store.

But you know what? I had fun.

It was invigorating to be a get my 30 something body high up into the tree. I felt like a little kid again.
And the time that I took to separate the cherries from the leaves and the stems, and to wash and pit them has been surprisingly therapeutic.
It is also nice to know that the end product is fresh and the outcome of my own efforts.

I can understand why people who tend their own garden tend to be healthier physically and mentally.

This summer might be a great opportunity to avail yourself of the many local farms, and do some fun family pickin.

Make life great.

A good friend of mine (C.G.)has been battling cancer for the past year and a half. When he was originally diagnosed, the prognosis was basically get your things in order there is no coming through this. C.G’s basic response was “If you are not here to help me win, I will find someone who is”. He was very careful to distance himself from anyone who thought that this was a loosing battle. He only surrounded himself with people who were supportive of, and believed in his ability to survive the disease. After a few months of Chemo, much to the surprise of the doctors, he was able to beat it and go into temporary remission. Unfortunately a few months later the Cancer returned with a lot more determination.

Again C.G prepared for battle, not willing to give up in anyway. And no matter how strong the cancer attacked C.G. tried to fight back.

At the begging of the week I went to visit C.G and was shocked by his recent changes. He had taken a major turn for the worse in the two weeks since I’d last seen him. Later in the week I was told that two weeks prior he had spoken to the doctor and was told that there is nothing left to do, and it’s all palliative care now. What was interesting, was the fact that there didn’t seem to be a major physical reason for the health change. The main difference was that when I went to speak to C.G. that day, it was the first time I really heard him talking about dying.

I can’t say this for a fact, but I really wonder if the turn in his health was less about the disease itself and more about the mental shift that takes place.

I beleive that he will find the strength within to keep fighting and with G-d’s help overcome this challenge.

The lesson here is the power of your thoughts. C.G. new right from the start that the only chance he has it to keep a positive mental attitude and surround himself with people of the same mindset. Negative thoughts are not only mentally debilitating, but can also effect a person physically as well.

Creating a positive and tranquil mindset can help to eliminate dis-Ease from your mind and body.

Activity:

As you enter the weekend, take some time to reflect on the mental environment that you are creating for yourself.

Are you allowing negative thoughts and people to enter?
What steps can you take to create a more positive world for yourself?
What is the goal you are moving towards that will help you remain positive and calm throughout the challenging times.

How do you want to be?

Enjoy the weekend and have a wonderful Mothers Day.

Are you right now?

Are you fatigued or energized?

Do you feel tightness in your chest or do you feel open an free.

Pessimistic or Optimistic?

You could go for days without food or water, but without air you would hardly last a minute.

And just like there are unhealthy and healthy ways to eat, so too with our breathing.

If you are feeling tired, unmotivated, and tight in your body, shallow breathing might be part of the cause.

Not only does your breathing give your body oxygen to power its many processes, but the actual action of breathing helps to move the toxins through your lymphatic system.

Shallow breathing = less oxygen and toxins not being moved out of your system

Deep breathing = Oxygen rich blood and toxins being flushed out.

You can find numerous breathing exercises on line and you can even find some interesting breathing test as well

It is worthwhile to take a few minutes daily to do some breath exercising. Work it and it will work for you.

Here is one that I like

Breathing Exercise

If you can do this exercise for five minute 3 times a day (morning, noon, night) in a quiet and distraction free setting you will also benefit from it as a meditative practice as well.

What you need:

You
A quiet place.
Lungs

The Technique:

Breath using a 1:4:2 ratio.

For example:

Breath in – 3 seconds

Hold breath – 12 seconds

Breath out – 6 seconds

Repeat the process for 10-20 breaths.

Be careful not to over exert yourself.

Start of your inhale at 3 seconds and work your way up.

If you feel to much strain when you are holding your breath cut back on the time.

the process should be relaxed.

Do this 3 times a day for 10 days and you will begin to notice a huge difference to your energy, your clarity and your ability to stay healthy.

“Wax on, Wax off. Breath in, Breathe Out” – Mr Miyagi, Karate Kid

Coaching Question:   

• Why is your breathing important to you.
• How will better breathing help you today.