Ok, girlfriends … I’m just keepin’ it real! =)

So the other day, Tuesday to be exact, I put out the following update on twitter and facebook:

“B4 u indulge in an emotionl food binge stop & ask yrself what u need in th moment. It’s not food. Then honor yourself w the real need.”

This concept has really served me well over the years. I do use it a lot. However, in being real with you, I do go through periods of time when the whole idea of “stop and think before you eat” is totally out the window. Case in point … last night! This is what happened …

I had to stop at the store on my way home from work. As soon as my foot stepped inside the door a battle began in my mind about buying a bag of chocolate. No, it couldn’t be a small chocolate bar! It had to be a whole bag!

As I shopped I was winning the battle. Nope, don’t need the chocolate, but by the end of the shop I had convinced myself that I could get the bag of chocolate and eat it responsibly … meaning just a couple here and there.

Note: Never once did I ask myself why I wanted (or needed) the chocolate.

Just keepin’ it real!! ….

So, I get home and throw the bag of chocolate on the counter … and there it stares at me as I am talking on the phone with my girlfriend hashing out life stuff … kicking up emotions. Get the picture?? =)

I stare back at the bag of chocolate and think to myself I’m just going to have 2 or 3 … while deep in conversation with my girlfriend. The three chocolates go down smooth … and fast … and oh so yummy!

Our conversation goes on for quite some time … I continue to pop the little chocolates into my mouth, mindlessly. By the time I hung up the phone I had eaten at least three-fourths of the bag!!! I am not kidding!!! A big UGH!!

Needless to say, I felt gross! I couldn’t even go to bed because of how gross I felt. What the heck was I thinking???

Remember … I’m just keepin’ it real!! =)

That’s just it! I wasn’t thinking at all!! … At least not in the moment. It hit me soon after this binge that I had just posted about thinking before you eat. Oh great! What kind of role model am I! lol

Well … a real one! None of us are perfect, especially me, and even more so now that I know for a fact I have hit “the change of life”! Oh yea! I am in menopause! Gasp!! =D

It is now the morning after my chocolate binge and I am still feeling it! That’s ok. The best thing I can do now is to forgive myself, let it go, and move on to a better day of healthful eating and exercise.

To end this “just keepin’ it real” story with you, I want to share a hysterical video (it’s short)  that another girlfriend posted on my facebook wall after seeing my “think before you eat” status. I just saw it this morning. Sooooo funny! Enjoy!

Oh … and, feel free to share your own story below in the comment section. Please … don’t let me stand-alone here in “just keepin’ it real”!! =)

Are you turned on? ….

Well, are you? …

Are you turned on to life?? =) (Gotcha!)

Why do so many believe that pursuing your joy is selfish?  Why do so many, especially women, feel guilty when they do something for themselves that makes them feel good in any way?

Let me propose two things to you …

1. We are all unique creations with our own bents, passions, and things that uniquely bring us great joy.

2. We are created to experience joy, pleasure, passion.

I am not suggesting that we are to be full-time pleasure seekers.  No, not at all!  But what I am saying is that experiencing joy, pleasure, passion is part of our design and for each of us that means something different and unique.

When you are turned on to life the world opens up to you in a whole new way … and might I add in ways you might be surprised.  Being turned on to life keeps you young and vibrant.  It fuels you in body, mind, and spirit.  Being turned on to life increases your life force … and it makes you more effective and fulfilled.

Being turned on to life doesn’t mean that there are no difficulties in life either.  There will always be difficulties spring up; it just means that you can deal with them more effectively.

So how does it happen?  How do you get turned on to life?  It’s starts by understanding who you are … how you are uniquely created … and embracing it all!

Does that seem daunting?  It really isn’t but I understand because I have been there.  I needed an emotional wellness coach to help me figure it all out and now I get to pass it on and help others turn on to life as well.

Wow!  Talk about a turn on! =) Love it!

Email me if you need help too … wonderwoman@shileennixon.com

Also, share your thoughts below in the comment section and then stay tuned for more about being turned on to life!

Shileen Nixon

Emotional Wellness Coach

Photo by graur razvan ionut at freedigitalphotos.net

Have you recently or have you ever taken an inventory of how you feel … emotionally, physically, and even spiritually?  How good do you really feel?  How much joy do you experience?  In this podcast you will learn just how all of these things impact the immune system and what you can do to improve your immune system through all three areas … body, mind, and spirit.

What if you could make some simple changes over the next 6 months that could radically impact you life?  Keep this question in mind as you listen and at the end let me know how I can help you.

Click the link below to listen …

How Your Immune System Heals & Repairs

It is important to not only create a healthy environment, but it is just as important to protect that environment.  Remember that healing and health is about the whole person, which includes our environment, … our space.

This week’s podcast is about creating a sacred space to heal.  Whether your home is kept neat and tidy or whether it is in disarray or somewhere in between, you will be encouraged to find a small space to set up in a sacred way.  A place where you can go to unplug, to get quiet, to pray, meditate, a place to go within to do healing work if need be.  This podcast is chalked full of great, fun ideas!

Just click the link below to listen!

Creating A Sacred Space To Heal

Here is the fun part.  A number of us from across the US and Canada are preparing our sacred space this week AND preparing to do a house blessing Tuesday, June 8^th.  All the details are in the podcast (see below).  You don’t want to miss this special day of blessing … letting our blessings go from hand to heart across the miles joining us together.

I want to personally invite all of you, my beautiful readers, to join us on June 8^th for A House Blessing Event.  I have created a facebook group called “A House Blessing Event” where you can let us know that you are committing to do a house blessing.  I also encourage you to post about your preparations, your ideas and most importantly please share your results.  If you don’t want to post on the group page about your results do send an email with your testimony and let us know if we can share your experience on our next conference call.  Please click the following link to access the group on facebook:

A House Blessing Event

Let’s all enhance and protect our environments by creating a sacred space to heal. Enjoy the podcast, “Creating A Sacred Space To Heal”, and do email me if you have any questions … wonderwoman@shileennixon.com

In this podcast we continue talking about how to heal anger and hidden hurts.  Remember, emotions manifest in physical challenges trying to get our attention and can be reversed.   Shileen goes into more detail about how self-nurture helps us in the every day and especially helps us when we are working through issues and coaching.  Georgie then demonstrates with the help of a volunteer a very powerful coaching session.

To listen click the link below:

Healing Hidden Hurts Part 2

Today’s podcast is about how to heal anger and hidden hurts  – emotions manifest in physical challenges trying to get our attention and can be reversed.  We are beautifully and wonderfully made and now is the time to heal and be set free!  (Remember we shut down emotionally way before it comes out in a physical form.)

To listen click the link below:

Healing Hidden Hurts Part 1

This past Tuesday on May 11th, Georgie Holbrook and I began a conference call series on how to experience your natural ability to heal.  Georgie and I both share our story about how we began to listen to the clues our bodies were giving us and honoring those clues.  Click on the link below to learn how we both healed ourselves of illness and depression.

Healing Stories Conference Call

For more information about our next conference call click here ==> Schedule

I noticed she was very sluggish. She was having trouble fulfilling what was being asked, even small things. She would take what seemed like forever to do the simplest tasks, sometimes getting lost to the point where she would have to be saved.

I knew what was wrong. She was being overworked. Day after day she would have so many tasks going on all at the same time, juggling so much more than she could handle. But she continued to be pushed until she could not be pushed any further. Her productivity continued to decrease even though the workload not only continued, but also became more demanding.

Finally, I knew what needed to happen so I expressed to her that she really needed to shutdown for a bit and helped her to do so.

We all know how it is when we have been overworked, how hard it is to stop and unplug. It doesn’t happen right away. The mind and body still want to keep going. Things keep popping up to address that seem urgent in the moment, but really are not, so you just have to delete them from your mind … until that beautiful moment comes when you can finally rest and relax.

That is exactly what happened to her. I sat with her and watched and helped until she finally found her way to let it all go. I could almost hear her sigh of relief.

Turned out she really didn’t need much at all. It is amazing, really, how little it can take to restore only if we would give ourselves that privilege. Once she rested a bit, she woke up and was ready to get back at it … functioning her normal, productive way … feeling good about herself and her abilities to serve others.

Can you relate to this story? I certainly can!

The truth is, the “she” in this story is my computer! That is exactly what happened to my computer last night. We were both tired … ha ha. So as I laid down to do what I call a 15-minute power nap or the R & R Pose and I had my laptop beside me helping “her” to shut down, too. She was so lost with so many files, windows, and applications running that it took time for her to reboot. I had to force quit many applications before she could finally shut down and reset herself.

I feel like that sometimes don’t you, the need to reboot? Why do we push and push thinking there is no time to rest? We only become unproductive or at best less productive by doing so.

Let me tell you that by taking the time to rest and take care of ourselves afford us the ability to be more productive … always! And, we are less stressed, healthier, happier people … operating from a place of inspiration and joy.

So, I urge you, dear women of wonder, to reboot your operating system BEFORE you get lost in the shuffle of demands in your life.

If you have a “rebooting” story or thoughts to share, please do so in the comment section below.

And, by all means, if you need help in rebooting your operating system email me and I would be honored to assist you.

Have you heard??

Today I come to you with a very simple personal passion.  It will not be much of a surprise to those of you who know me well or those of you who have gotten to know me through The Wonder Woman Challenge.

Although it is not my life passion, it is something that I thoroughly enjoy and it literally fills my cup.  It sees me when I’m happy or sad.  It sees me with or without make-up.  It sees me through the thick and thin of life.

What might I be talking about?  Are you ready? You may have already guest given the title of this article …

Coffee!!

I love coffee … all different kinds of coffee.  I love coffee paraphernalia … and especially mugs!  I own quite a collection of the cutest coffee mugs of which I have started a photo album for on the Wonder Woman Challenge fan page on Facebook.

Every morning I open up the cupboard and ask myself, “Which mug do I feel like today?”  Because you see the mug must match the mood for the day or at least for that morning, otherwise the coffee experience is not all that it could it be.

Have you heard??

When you really stop to think about what all we do over a cup of coffee, one begins to understand the experience of coffee … and indeed coffee is an experience.  One of my favorites is spending time with a friend or family member catching up on life over a cup of coffee.  Nothing thrills me more than for one of sons to suggest we go get coffee.  So much happens over that cup of coffee!  Love it!

And so why is coffee the topic today? Well have you heard?  Certainly you have by now, BUT just in case you have not let me fill you in!!

Starbucks is offering FREE brewed coffee on April 15^th, which is tomorrow (I am writing this Thursday evening).  They are encouraging folks to switch from paper cups to travel mugs all for the good of the planet.  How fun is that?!

And, yes! The picture at the start of this article is my cutest travel mug.  Cute! Cute!  I found it at a very sweet, quaint coffee and tea shop.  I say this all of the time, but truly it is the little things in life that give me so much joy!

So!!  Tomorrow (or today, depending upon when you are reading this) grab a girlfriend and your favorite travel mug and spend some girl time catching up with one another over a free cup of coffee.  It will just make your day!!

Oh!  And!!  Afterwards, come back to this article and leave a comment about how you spent your coffee experience.  I will do the same!!

And, if you don’t have a Starbucks near you?  Go out for a cup of coffee anyway with a friend using a travel mug or some kind of special mug and still come back and share your experience with us.

Have fun!!

Shileen

P.S.  As for Starbucks, read more about how you can make a difference.

Spring is finally here.  That alone is enough to make my spirit jump with joy.  This is, no doubt, a gorgeous time of the year as nature comes alive with new birth.

With spring comes spring-cleaning.  We all seem to naturally want to clean things out, freshen things up, and make our homes sparkle after a long winter, at least to

some degree.  Making things beautiful inside and out, we want our homes to be fresh and new just like outside in nature.

Spring is a time to come alive.  To come alive is exhilarating … especially if you have not been in that state for a while whether from a long hard winter in nature or from life’s hard knocks.

Below is a facebook status update from my girlfriend that I would like for you to ponder …

Spring has come to Pennsylvania. As I was clearing away dead leaves and debris in my flowerbeds, I was reminded that now is a prefect time to do the same within ourselves. ~ BI

No matter what emotional state you might find yourself in and for whatever reason, how can this beautiful season of spring, spring you forward into a higher exhilarated state of being alive?

As you become still and ponder my girlfriend’s thought, what debris in your own life do you need to clear away?  There is fresh soil under the dead leaves and debris.  What might you find after you have cleared it out?  How alive might it make you feel once it is all gone?  What’s the first step you need to take towards making it happen?

Spring is a time to come alive … Go for it!!!