Growing up, I didn't like the people my parents were. I didn't
respect my mother, and a lot of that stemmed from the fact that my
father didn't respect her either. The other day I read an article
someone on Twitter linked to about fear, and how the fear of things
can be worse than the fear itself. I've been listening to a lot of
different CD's lately. I've heard about parenting, how time is one of
the greatest assets we have, and how spending it with your children is
vital for their well being and development. Another disc was about time
management, something I haven't given a lot of thought to, but need to
learn more about. I heard something that will hopefully change my life
for the better about food, I've always known that your body needs
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but I forgot that they need to be
present at every meal and snack.
I've met some new people, and rediscovered some people I knew a long
time ago, when both of us had very different lives. The other day my
husband paid off my car, and my student loan. I didn't want to tell my
friend Jody that I only had seven dollars left in my checking account,
but now I'm free from that fear, and the admission helped me realize
that it is better to be broke, than fearful that people will judge you
based on your financial circumstances. The truth is, I am a very wealthy
person. I've learned a lot about listening to my body that other people
don't know, or ignore. Saturday I went to a Food as Medicine conference
with my sister. She now works for a company that partners with the
Wisconsin Vein and Laser center. The focus is on wellness, but there's
an image component that makes me cringe as it is not in line with my
personal philosophy.
I've put on a lot of weight recently. There are things I can do to
control how much I eat, when I eat, and what kind of foods I'm putting
into my body. The conference taught me some new things, it made me
question things I've heard, and I really enjoyed meeting some of the
people I sat next to. One presenter believes that we should adopt the
vegan lifestyle to optimize our bodies. Another woman endorsed the
bioavailability of raw
milk, and the importance of essential fatty acids. I listened to a
wonderful talk on endocrine disorders, and how many of the products we
take for granted are giving off hormone mimickers, and hormone blockers
that are absorbed by our bodies. Some people tried to use scare tactics,
others chose other approaches to reach the audience.
I spoke with a woman about iridology, and skin brushing, something
I've been doing for years. She has a different theory on how the skin
ought to be brushed, so now I'm wondering if I've been doing it wrong.
Although the conference was about food, there was also talk about
emotional health, how to deal with stress, spirituality, and the fact
that there are only so many things people can do to control their
exposure to the toxic world around us. My favorite speaker was the
executive chef who oversaw our meal, as he was the only presenter who
gave us information on how we could implement some of his kitchen
strategies in our own homes.
It is not enough to share information with other people, you need to
show people how they can trade a new healthier habit in for the
lifestyle they have now. People have to want to change, information
typically isn't enough to change people. If their hearts are not
engaged, if they can't identify what motivates them to change, you
aren't going to see them sticking with their diet or exercise programs.
Since I went through the Love and Logic program, I've learned that the
people asking questions are controlling the conversation. Somehow I fell
in with a group of tweetatricians even though I don't
have a medical degree myself. These people have really opened my eyes to
the problems practitioners face while working within a very flawed
system. I've found out that being your engaging self is enough to
attract quality followers on Twitter. It's been rewarding, and it helps
fill an emotional void in my life at times.
Joining Twitter was a split second decision, I signed up, started
tweeting, and then became discouraged when it didn't go anywhere. I
didn't know what I was doing, or where I was going. Recently, someone
recommended I read the book: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People. This goes back to needing the time management element in my
life so I'm going to head to the library to see if they have a copy
available for check out. I've been pretty successful at integrating more
vegetables into my children's lives, if everything you have in your
house is healthy, then your children can either eat food that nourishes
them, or they can go hungry. Love and Logic emphasizes the importance of
allowing people to make their own choices, and then letting the natural
consequences of those decisions serve as the teaching experience.
So, I want to change my life, but I'm not sure how I go about
integrating the elements needed for success without getting down at what
seems insurmountable. I've read about purpose, intent, and setting
realistic, measureable, attainable goals. I have some books to read, but
I want to know if you would be willing to help support my efforts.
Something I've been doing recently is talking to my friends about what I
want to do, and asking if they can help hold me accountable. We're all
human, and I expect to fall off of my self-improvement wagon, but I need
to remember that it's possible to get back on the train I left. If you
want to help, send me a message, or ask me how I'm progressing in the
catbox. Some of you may not be comfortable doing this, which is
understandable. But if you don't map out a path that places challenges
you, you might end up stuck in the same kind of ruts I'm in now. It's
your call, but perhaps something to think about.
Take care, God bless you all this holiday season.
Jessica
P.S. Many thanks to oakling for doing a bang up job on what to
expect with acupuncture and acupressure. These are modalities I'm
considering, and the writeup gave me some much needed reassurance.