Thoughts on ‘Julie and Julia’

I watched the movie ‘Julie and Julia’ Saturday night and found it inspirational. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s about a woman who blogs about Julia Childs who was a huge impact on not just bringing French cooking to America but one of the first woman chefs.

I found it inspirational because of the similarities of the lives of the two women and myself. Julie blogs, they both do something they’re passionate about even through difficulty, and they are both married and have very loving, successful relationships.

Inspirational because they both started from scratch and became very successful. I won’t tell you what each of the woman’s success was but it made me ask myself (again) what the desired result would be from my blog.

I want people to get to know me from my blog to feel more comfortable to take my classes if they are in my area and if they aren’t....? I am in the process of writing a book about Prenatal Yoga for those who don’t have something like that in their area. Eventually, writing books on each of the other classes that I teach as well, such as Mom & Baby Yoga.

And then there’s the sense of peace that everyone deserves. I would love to write a book to help people, especially women, find that peace in their daily life. You can’t possibly have peace 100% of the time, if you are a living human being, but you can live there most of the time.

“Julie and Julia”. If you blog, if you are a women with goals, if you are passionate about something in your life... this is the movie for you. If you would like to check out the REAL blog about Julia Child, find it HERE.

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

I’ve recently found out that US Congress voted to not say “Merry Christmas” on radio and television. Being Pagan I was, at first, pleased by this decision as I am pretty tired of people trying to force their beliefs on me and as you read on in today’s blog you’ll see why.

Someone I know and love made a comment on her Facebook page about the US Congress decision and the fire was lit! Non-Christians were called “bigots and fools”! People from larger, multi-cultural areas will LOVE this beauty......“The ones that have taken this upon themselves to complain about this holiday, HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING THE DAY OFF PAID FROM THE PLACE THEY ARE EMPLOYED!!! Talk about being a hypocrite! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL .. enjoy your paid day”

Ok, my husband and I are NOT paid for ANY holidays but we aren’t Atheists, we do have holidays of our own as do other religions who aren’t paid for those. Here’s another beauty, “I personally enjoy saying merry Christmas to all... you don’t like what ya see here get the ------ out”. So, who’s calling WHO the hypocrite here? ?

Thankfully, I have open-minded, loving, Christian friends who are considerate enough to take note of the fact that my family is Pagan and wish me a happy Solstice, congratulate me when we have a nice celebration and not only do they NOT wish me a Merry Christmas but they don’t EVER say “get the ____out”! For those loving friends I am truly grateful and it is because of those loving friends that I changed my mind about celebrating Congress’ decision on putting the stopper in ‘Merry Christmas’ and instead will be hopeful for Canada to someday include MORE religious beliefs to their plate. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could hear about other loving religious celebrations when they come up? That would be the most loving response I can think of regarding religion right now. And that’s really what it’s all about, right? Not about who's beliefs are right or wrong but loving each other!

Here’s what Stats Canada has to say about religion in Canada...

• Overview: Canada still predominantly Roman Catholic and Protestant
  
• Roman Catholics: the largest religious group in Canada
  
• Growth in Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism
  
• Increase in those reporting “No religion”

Stat Can link found here: http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/Products/Analytic/companion/rel/contents.cfm

Research on Paganism in Canada said this, “Paganism is Canada's fastest-growing religion, according to Statistics Canada. There are 21080 declared pagans in Canada.”

Saying no to ‘Merry Christmas’ is (in my opinion) not about ‘poo poo-ing’ someone’s religious beliefs but being fair to those who believe differently. YES, it IS possible for others to believe differently from you. It’s called ‘individuality’. Maybe take the time to find out about your friends and neighbours before saying it! Wouldn’t THAT be the LOVING thing to do? If I had a Hindu friend I would surely not say “Happy Winter Solstice”, instead I would find out more about what he/she celebrates.... I would maybe ASK! Now that would be intelligent, meaningful conversation that (hopefully) your friend would appreciate.

Here are some more links of interest....

• http://www.ca.paganfederation.org/
• http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51738700148&ref=search&sid=714020577.1380945087..1&v=info
  
• http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2009/12/christmas-or-winter-holiday-let-our-leaders-vote/

I am not about to give a religion or history lesson here on my blog, but as I said, my little family is Pagan and if anyone is interested... for us that means a 10 day celebration of Winter Solstice or Yule where we try to celebrate by doing something small each day to welcome back the light as the daylight grows longer and be grateful for this season and loved ones.

Wishing each and every-body peace, love and blessings in this and every life celebration.

Kim
PS feel free to leave a loving comment. Thanks! XX

Gym Membership

So, I constantly write about the importance of ‘Time for YOU’ but when you have a busy life, kids, and little support to do just that, it can seem overwhelming of just where to start.

I’ve been thinking of re-joining a gym for the past year but child care is an issue for me and my husband, not wanting to leave our daughter with just anyone. Today I took the plunge. It seems like a lot of money but when you break it down it really isn't.

I decided on the local YMCA which is only $17 per month for unlimited child care. Right there, it’s a good deal!! Then, take into consideration that she’ll be enrolled into a weekly program that’s included in her membership... well, it makes me wonder why I hadn’t looked into this sooner. Then, there’s the classes I’ll be taking. Normally, one class is about $120 for two months but I’ll be taking two classes plus using their treadmills, ellipticals, and whatever else I can fit in. Another big bonus is that my husband and I can have some child-free time. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you know that it’s a rare occurrence for us.

It all starts tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted as to how it is going but I’m really nervous. Willow has only been left with one of my friends and nobody else, besides mommy and daddy. I am trying to look at it another way... Willow is an only child and only goes to my friend’s house once a week. I want her to grow and have stimulation and joy in her life. Wish us luck!

Blessings,

Kim

Princess for an evening

It was my uncle's 50th suprise birthday party on Saturday night and although my daughter had a fever since the previous night we went anyway. I hadn't been to a family event in about 15 months or even visited a famiy member in nearly as long. Of course, I missed them!

I always felt like the black sheep of the family... living in Germany and then Alberta until I was nine because my father was in the Air Force. Then later, I avoided family events because they always seemed to involve alchohol and my parents didn't get along when they drank. Now, it's me who almost never drinks and then my mom passing away in 2006 certainly didn't help.

So, off we go... a 45 minute drive to get there... I wasn't disappointed. Abundance of hugs and kisses. Countless times I heard, "it's great to see you"; "wish we could see you more often"; "I can't believe you're actually here"; "your daughter is so precious"; "your daughter is so sweet"; "you've got yourself a great guy there". I almost felt like it was MY event! Willow must have been feelin' the love, too... that fever she had broke while at the party even though she was up way past her bedtime and didn't have a nap!

If you have a family like this consider yourself lucky... and if not, just imagine what it would be like to be treated like a princess for an evening. Maybe you have friends who make you feel really special. Focus on them instead. That's really what it's all about isn't it? How people make you FEEL!

Blessings,
Kim

A night out!

Something very rare happened this weekend... my husband and I got to go out child-free. This is the 2nd time in over two years!! Why, you might ask...? There is only one person that she is comfortable staying with, and us leaving her with for that matter. But, at least we have one, and for that we are very grateful!

My husband's workplace was having their Christmas dinner on Saturday night and we had a pretty good time. We stayed until our maximum time and really enjoyed only being the two of us in practically forever. The next day felt different, too. More relaxed, more happy.

If you are one of the lucky ones who has multiple people to sit for you take advantage of it. You will be a better wife/husband, parent, and friend. And then, there's always your sanity (hehe).

Blessings,
Kim

My 3rd Race...

On Sunday, November 15th, 2009 I ran my first trail race. It was the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa. So, this makes my 3rd race... 2 road and 1 trail. Trail is much more fun but let me tell you... this run, which was 7.5 k for me, was just as challenging as the 1/2 marathon I did last month!

The 'Fat Ass' is mostly up hill... up a ski hill that is and there's lots of rocks and tree roots. And speaking of trees... there's lots of those, too. Fallen trees that is, to go over and under. Oh, and those rocks and tree roots I mentioned, hidden by wet, slippery leaves. Speaking of slippery... there was a giant puddle in the middle of it all.

I wore a brand new pair of trail runners and glad I did. I wore a brand new pair of gloves and didn't need them. With all those hills a body heated up pretty darn fast.

I ran it in just under an hour, which is darn good for a person who doesn't train. Had no injuries, thankfully, and only got one foot wet in previously described 'puddle'.

Would I do it again next year? Oooooh YES!!

'The family that plays together, stays together"

I don't know who said it but it's been quoted twice to me within a week. My husband and I love the outdoors and that is one of the biggest reasons I wanted to have a child... to share that passion. We hike, bike, roller blade and more... and hope our daughter will love all that, too.

This past weekend my husband finished fencing in our back yard. What an awesome feeling! We are finally free from the fear of our daughter sneeking away, our dogs getting out, or an unfriendly dog coming on to our property.

So much fun was had on Sunday running, chasing and playing, by both 2 and 4-legged family!

What do you do as a family to 'play together'?

Blessings,
Kim

Are you an encourager?

I read someone's article on being an extreme encourager and I recalled telling my friend Bob, years ago, that I wanted to be a yoga teacher. He immediately said, " You would make a great yoga teacher... you look like one already!".

Aaah, the encourager. Do you know someone who you can't wait to tell your news? Someone who thinks whatever thoughts you have are great ideas? Someone who 'knows you can do it'.... whatever 'it' may be?

A lovely thought isn't it? Do you know a person like this? Are YOU an encourager? I hope so! Thank you, in advance, for blessing me (and others) with your comments and emails......

Namaste,
Kim

Permission to start over

As a Meditation Teacher I teach people to start over when they are meditating and a thought comes in. Don’t beat yourself up... just start again.

I don’t believe life is “trial and error”. There are no errors. “Try and try again” or “try and begin again”. So, why do we beat ourselves up again and again when we become out of alignment?

I noticed today that I would get annoyed and then get annoyed at myself that I let myself get out of alignment. It’s just a viscous cycle. Everyone who is alive gets out of alignment once in a while, no exceptions. So, give yourself a break... and begin again.

Blessings,
Kim

Question for you....

I have a question for everyone... Do you schedule housework into your day? I’ve only recently come to the conclusion that I need to schedule it or it either doesn’t happen or I rush around like a crazy person to ‘squeeze’ it into a day that is already far too busy... and then am not the nicest person as a result. I certainly don’t remember my mom scheduling it... what about you?

Blessings,
Kim

Under the weather

Last Thursday I was feeling ‘under the weather’ and it ended up being a great day! I cancelled all the plans I had and stayed home with my daughter. It seemed to be like a reset button... from go, go, go to slow, slow, slow. The next day was even better! Even though things seemed slower and more relaxed I got more done, somehow, and then I could really feel the gratitude for everything and everyone in my life.

It seems like more and more is added to my week so a random day off is just what the doctor ordered!

Blessings,
Kim

A big life goal achieved

Yesterday, (Sunday, October 4th, 2009) marked a life-goal achievement for me that was pretty big. I ran my first ½ marathon at the Prince Edward County Marathon.

I’ve only been running for about a year and only had one race under my belt, which was a 5 km run, so this was a big deal for me. Not to mention, with not really any training to speak of. I ran 4 km two days a week for the past three weeks.

A friend asked me today how I felt now that I’ve achieved this big goal... proud and powerful. I feel definitely feel powerful. I have always been in such awe of others that could run that distance.

While running I had a chance to ask someone how long she had been a runner and her response was inspiring. She ran her first ½ marathon when she was 55 and her first full marathon when she was 65. She thinks she may stop at 70. I love that!

I started with walking after my daughter was born in because, despite what people tell you about breastfeeding helping for weight loss, I was gaining weight instead of losing. So, walking turned into running and I was hooked!

Now, a year later, I’ve also taught a ‘Runner’s Yoga’ class and can’t see how anyone who runs (or any athlete for that matter) can do it without yoga!. I can run farther, faster and have less aches and pains. I went from running only 4 km runs to over 20 without any major recovery needed and no injuries.

The number of people who are just onlookers cheering you on is astounding. I never thought of that before yesterday’s race but I tear up even now when I think of it. People who stand in front of their houses with umbrellas for hours, ringing bells and telling you what a great job you are doing. It’s truly amazing. It made me feel like a celebrity and so very, very grateful.

At about the 16 km mark my husband, daughter and in-laws were waving and taking pictures. I was so proud to have my family there. I wish more people could have saw them waving. I also wish my own parents had been there to see me. Next year I’m hoping my husband will run it with me and years from now maybe our daughter will want to do it as well.

Nearing the end of the ½ an OPP officer told me I was almost there... just another 400 metres to go. It didn’t feel that way and even though I could see it, it sure seemed far away. My friend, Tiki, was there watching and ran the last couple hundred metres with me. That helped me to pick up my pace a little. Although I don’t yet know my time I think I finished in just under 2 ½ hours. As soon as you cross the finish line someone takes your race chip (for timing), and puts the metal on you. Tiki grabbed the complimentary food and drinks for me and guided me through the crowd.

Such a proud day. A day to remember for the rest of my life.

Blessings,
Kim

Why not you?

I love to journal. Journaling is a great way to spend time with your True Self, to become or stay aligned. If you’ve been journaling for a while then you know what I am talking about. Besides journaling there is also a more public version –blogging. Anyone can blog... why not you?

Blog to let others know about your special talent or just connect with the outside world. Maybe you’re having a great adventure or maybe you feel like you have the most boring life ever but want to share some insights with others. Just do it! You never know who’s life or how many lives you might touch.

How to begin? Search for free blog, or click on start blog at the top of this page, and follow the instructions. You may want to do a little preplanning... what types of things do you want to talk about, a catchy title... that sort of thing.

Good luck and keep me posted!

Thanks for your comments. You never know who your comments might help or inspire!
Blessings,
Kim

Manifesting your dreams

Isn’t the Law of Attraction a wonderful thing? I’ve wanted a fenced in backyard for a long time. I never thought we could afford it since we have a pretty large backyard. However, as soon as I stopped focusing on the cost, focusing instead on the fence and how much fun it would be to watch our dogs and daughter play safely out there, a chain link fence complete with top rails, poles and caps appeared, for FREE!

So, September is the month for the fence. We not only got the fence this month but we also manifested HELP with the fence. My husband and uncle have been hard at work for 2 days this month and my husband was out there again last night. It should be done by Samhain (Oct 31st)!

Now, I just have to focus on a garage...

Taking the Plunge

Today I took the plunge... I registered for the Prince Edward County ½ Marathon, which is 20.96 km. Scary, right? Yes, unless the goal is just to finish. I have been going back and forth on this goal... to run it, walk it or not do it at all! But, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do so I’ve decided to just take the plunge. How can I regret it if my only goal is to make it across the finish line... right??

Your Connection

The long weekend has come and gone. Sometimes, between trying to catch up with work and time with family and lots of plans to be busy means neglecting time for connection to Spirit, your True Self. You may even try but if it’s rushed it may not seem to help and you can be left feeling annoyed (with yourself more than anything) and lacking energy. I am no exception to this... until, last night, I came across my rose quartz wrist mala. It was a reminder to love myself enough to spend time for me.

Need help with your connection? Check out my website http://www.kimbelangermills.com/ for products and services to feed your body, mind and spirit. There’s a new page on the site, check it out here. Also, if you are a member of the Facebook group Patchoulimoon Holistics Yoga and Holistic Health, there’s a new topic “what’s your reminder to spend Time for YOU? Make a comment here: http://tiny.cc/CQBYJ

Be Blessed,
Kim

A Family Vacation Day in 2009

As the summer comes to an end we are trying to make the most of the nice weather and our weekends together. Yesterday (Sunday) we went to The Lang Pioneer Village.

It was so nice to see our daughter run from building to building. My husband got some great pictures and I was over-joyed at the fun had by all!

I definitely have an outdoor oriented family as being outside is usually our main goal for every season, except winter. We describe ourselves as ‘tree-huggers’ and even named our daughter after a tree “Willow”. I think she’s already a ‘tree-hugger’ in training....

Our One Year Anniversary

Yesterday was my one year wedding anniversary. One year married, three and a half years together and we will have known each other for six years this coming October. Most of the time it feels like we’ve been together for decades because we know each other so well, work so well as a team and are so close. Other times though, it feels like we were just married last week.... fresh and exciting and so in love.

To celebrate our one year of marriage, on Saturday, we chose to go back to the city that we were married in (Kingston Ontario) with our daughter, for a little shopping and dinner. Trail Head, Lululemon, Costco and Red Lobster. It was lovely, of course! So relaxing. Then, Sunday (the actual day of the anniversary) we stuck close to home and puttered around the house and yard until after supper when we took our daughter to the park. A perfect weekend. So very relaxing!

The camera had three sets of batteries and none of them worked so here’s a little look back at a year ago yesterday.....

(From left to right) Me and Willow, Me and Chris, Willow and Auntie Theresa, Me Chris & Willow

Letting Go

Lately I’ve been on a de-cluttering binge... our home, the studio, and now myself! Letting go of as many things as possible that take my time and energy, including my hair.... at least 6 years of the same hairstyle meant time for a change.

Above is the before picture

What about you... do you do any regular de-cluttering for your home, your place of work or even yourself? Or do you wait and do it all at once for a giant cleanse?

Here's the new 'do' .......

Please leave a comment here for others to benefit from or email me at phdirector@gmail.com.

Be blessed,

Kim

Balance

Isn’t technology great? I just got a new laptop yesterday and we got wireless high speed this week, too. With all this technology I’ll be able to do more than ever, faster and in more locations! But that means I’ll need to try to find more balance in my day.

Krishna Das is a great musician. I not only sell his music but listen to it during some of my yoga classes, in the car as well as at home. Now, I will be able to listen to him on You Tube and meditate at the same time! Enjoy.... http://tinyurl.com/lfbslt

What do you do for balance?

Be blessed,
Kim

A Day of Perfection...

Ever have one of those perfect days? One of those days where it seems like nothing could go wrong? I am having one of those days today.... a compliment from a friend, great food, fun with my toddler, a lovely bath, a wonderfully hot shower, watching butterflies from the screen door of my bedroom as I type this, all while listening to Enya.... the list is endless. Only got three hours sleep but I can’t tell.

Maybe it’s because I finally got the first edition of my new free ezine out and the sign-ups are effortlessly pouring in... or maybe because my entire life seems to be lining up perfectly... who knows... but I don’t dare take a nap, I don’t want to miss any of it!

Have a blessed day!

Kim

For Expecting Parents!

I've been blogged about! Lisa, a former yoga student posted this blog post. Enjoy.....

Posted by Lisa Boudreau on July 21st, 2009

I adore children. I think it’s because I’ve always really enjoyed playing. As an adult “playing” is frowned upon because we’re supposed to be…well grown up. Whether I was babysitting as a teenager or just playing with some of my younger cousins, I remember having a blast. Getting down on the ground and being silly with this little curious person whose expressions were always so priceless and innocent would make me feel great. So when I get asked what to you like to photograph the most I have to say babies and children!

Today I celebrate my daughter’s 7 month birthday. Granted the celebration includes the normal routine of bottles, playtime and naps – with no difference to her – but I know today is special!

So in honour of her, my little powerhouse of personality and independence, I wanted to give some suggestions for expecting parents! Of course, most are from my own experiences but isn’t that the best teacher?

1. Yoga
I did Pilates for many years however when I became pregnant I had to take it down a few notches simply because my body did not bend the way it used to anymore! I started looking into other ways to stay healthy and fit while with baby. I started taking daily evening walks and I came across prenatal yoga. It was so relaxing and I kept a lot of flexibility while pregnant. I found it was a great way to stretch all the important muscles and it taught me to pay close attention to my breathing which also helped with those crazy contractions!

I took classes with Kim Belanger-Mills of Patchoulimoon Holistics in her home studio. She’s a great teacher and I used to lay in bed after class , still hearing her calm voice in my head. I think Savanna loved her voice too because in class she would be bouncing around in my stomach. So Mom’s to be (and hey, even dad’s) let some yoga into your life: http://www.patchoulimoon.com/

2. Read about baby
I loved doing this with my fiancé. We’d read about how the baby was growing at a certain point in the pregnancy or about where baby would be in the coming months. I read so many books on birth that I lost count. But I found it so reassuring and comforting to have an idea what my body was doing and what it was going to do. I knew that I wanted a calm and natural birth if possible so I read lots of positive books. This put me in the right mind frame and it help ease a lot of the fear once labor had started. Birth has happened since the beginning of time, in every creature to walk to earth…how much natural can you get?! Sure I was still nervous and scared, but it could have been worse had I not prepared myself with knowledge. Read up!

3. Lots of Downtime
I’m a doer. I don’t sit still, ever. However with a human being created inside of you it’s a good time to learn how to stop. I did a lot of relaxing walking when I was pregnant with a good friend. This made me stop and take time to focus on me. I was able to just stroll outdoors, enjoy the surroundings, views, and conversation. I also did a lot of reading and watching movies. My body got to rest and I came to appreciate the downtime. It was nice not to scramble about or to listen to my mind run a mile a minute.

4. Pampering
I was always an active person even as a kid. I loved sports and I rarely ever spent all that much time on pampering myself. When I was pregnant I was awed at the changes in my body. I didn’t think it could do half of the things it was doing! So I found that while I was pregnant getting my nails done and my hair done kept me feeling great. It felt good to have someone take care of me and to know that even though I can’t see them my toes look awesome!

5. Memories
I really loved my pregnancy. It was smooth and it was a very emotional time for me. It is something I always want to remember. I want to remember how she used to do somersaults in my belly just as I climbed in bed for the night. I want to remember how round my belly was and how it felt to wrap my arms around it. We captured all of that in beautiful maternity photos that I still look at today. It is a wonderful memory to have a keepsake of. And now I am proud to offer maternity photos shoots to those who wish to remember it as well!

10 Sure-Fire Ways to Feel Bad About Your Self: how many do you do?

By Joyce Lee
Many women are masters at feeling bad about themselves and about the circumstances of their lives.

They walk through their life with a heavy heart, a pessimistic attitude and a wagon full of problems.

Their relationships are complicated; they rarely love their occupations and are seldom at peace with their body/temple image.

They are everywhere and they do this day after day after day. It is a true art form and you can do it too if you like...

Simply follow these 10 Sure Fire Ways to Feel Bad About Yourself.

1. Look at yourself in the mirror and criticize your body.

Inventory your flaws. Look at your self naked and shake your head in disgust. Tell that little girl inside how unacceptable she is. Feel the shame.

2. Start your morning with a coffee and a "just below the surface" dialoguewith your self of your problems.

Stay stuck there. You have a huge list of problems: people you are struggling with, unresolved stuff from your past, situations that are troublesome. So much to work with. Roll up your sleeve and pick some.

3. Have a private internal bitch session with someone who has violated your perceived borders.

Tell them off in your head. Itemize their shortcomings. Take their inventory and point out the holes in their socks. Do this as you brush your teeth or on your way to work. Go over it and over it. Be self-righteous, indignant... go ahead... set the tone for your day.

4. When some innocent soul asks you how you are today...tell her how crappy you feel.

Talk about bloating, headaches, your cold, your stomach ache, constipation, flu, sore back, blood pressure... revel in it... after all... they asked...

5. Be on constant guard of your boundaries.

Violators are everywhere. Notice what everyone else is doing and make sure they don't step on your toes. Your fragile ego needs to be protected at all costs. No one must ever get one up on you. Ever.

6. Have 'friends' scattered everywhere through out your day to gossip with.

High quality friendships that encourage nitpicking about other people's faults. People you can trust to not talk about you behind your back.

7. Make sure you have lots of avoidance techniques in your personal toolbox.

Comfort foods or other mood altering activities to avoid taking responsibility for your circumstances.

8. Do Not... do not read any inspirational materials.

It will only confuse you with messages of empowerment and personal growth. Who needs that? Inner work is for women with nothing important to do. You are too busy to sit in quiet, looking inward. After all, you have errands to run and emails to answer.

9. Carry your unfinished business with you everywhere you go.

Your grudges, resentments, wounds, victim stories. You bought a whole set of suitcases with wheels for your baggage. You can take it everywhere. Who doesn't like luggage?

10. Worry, doubt, anxiety. 'Your constant companions."

Pretend everything is fine on the outside, but keep these running just below the surface of your awareness. Feel them in your heart and in your body. Create your day from this platform.

Don't you just love that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach? The ache in your heart? Why would anyone want to feel open and flowing and full of self confidence, approval and esteem?


So, there you have it.

A straightforward road map for spending the rest of your life feeling lousy. Look around at all the women in this exclusive club. Join the movement. Come over to the heavy side. Life is about suffering isn't it?

Just Kidding... but you knew that...


Take this advice and throw it out the window!!!


Do the opposites. Claim your right to a happiness! Embrace this opportunity to live a wonderful and joyful life as you... glorious you...

Namaste.


Do you need help with a problem? Do you want to make a life-plan? Do you want to use the law of attraction to your advantage? I can help.
info@joyceleelifecoach.com
©2009 Joyce Lee
http://www.joyceleelifecoach.com/

What has Kim been up to?

Lots! Working on web changes (I’ll let you know when we’re a little farther along), preparing for new fall classes, writing a book, making preparations to be able to purchase from my website and preparing for the new Newsletter!

If you haven’t seen the sign up box on Facebook or this blog be sure to sign up to receive tips on yoga, meditation and more for body, mind and spirit!

Besides all the business ‘stuffs’ I’ve been boating, running and also gardening. I hope to have pictures on my blog of the stone border for our gardens soon.

Anyone else been super busy this summer and want to share? Feel free to make a comment or email me @ phdirector@gmail.com

Be Blessed,
Kim

My Own Issues

A friend of mine recently asked what my issues are. I thought I would share my response, feel free to share your's...


I’ve been working on so many issues….

FEAR of absolutely everything, having panic attacks every day when in school; fear of my health; fear of my future… meditation and knowing the only time we ever have is NOW helps incredibly.

ANGER from things not doing exactly as *I* plan it or think it should be, anger that my parents didn’t even try to do their best, that someone is driving too slow in front of me, or whatever else that popps up… I’m trying to remember that this is how it is supposed to happen.

Life is a lovely and interesting journey, don’t you think?

Be Blessed,

Kim

So, do you journal?

I LOVE journaling and been doing it since I was a teenager. Sometimes a pretty, bound, hard covered book, sometimes just a spiral bound notebook. But, I always do it and have a cedar chest full to prove it! Bad times, and more often good times.... all recorded.

Anyone who’s been doing it for a while knows the many, many benefits.

How about you? Yes, no... always wanted to but don’t know where to start? Been doing it for years but curious on how it could get better? I’ve got one for you! Check it out here. After all the years this one is the best I’ve seen. I was, proudly, the first to order it and I can tell you it was worth twice what I paid!

Happy journaling everyone!
Kim.

Training For My First 1/2 Marathon!

I'm training for the Prince Edward County 1/2 Marathon and let me tell you, with a toddler it can be pretty challenging and sometimes discouraging. I have three days that I am able to run without her. I don't know if it's just me, but pushing a jogging stroller isn't easy! Then there's the added bonus that she gets bored after a while and, of course, the weather.

One thing that helps is that my husband occasionally comes with me. Not only do I love his company and that he's becoming healthier, it's a very good example for our daughter! The picture above is the three of us just this Sunday past on the trail close to our home.

Something else I find really helpful, since I don't get to run with a group, is my online running friends. They're great for encouragement, information (they have loads more running experience than I) and motivation. I also have a weekly running partner. It's amazing how much farther you can run with great conversation as a distraction!

Today my goal was 10k but had my daughter with me so it ended up being only 5k. Actuall, that's not bad, I think, considering when I actually do this 1/2 marathon I won't have a stroller to push but will still be able to do it with that little extra!

The Wheel Is Turning But The Hamster is Pooped

Sherry, Stop. What Are You Doing?

Sherry had a morning routine. She didn't really choose it, she just evolved into it. Every morning she would get out of bed, flip her energy switch to go and keep moving until she fell back into bed at night, exhausted.


Her planner was as important as her wallet, and her cell phone seemed permanently attached to her right ear.


She was a regular at an up-scale coffee shop and was developing physical symptoms from too much caffeine. She commonly carried ant-acids and painkillers in her purse, kept some in the drawer at work and in her car.

Sherry had also slipped into a routine of regularly choosing fast and easy over healthy in her food plan. She often felt bloated and lethargic as a result.

Sherry was time deficient and over-stimulated. She was stressed, weary and operating well below her potential.

Oh Wise One
Your wonderful body is designed to let you know what you need to pay attention to. It's up to you to listen.

You can visualize a young girl who regularly stays up too late, eats too much sugar, doesn't like her vegetables, and has an organized activity every night of the week. You instinctively know what to change in her best interest. It's not about punishing her; it's about loving her.

The price tag
There are costs to not respecting body wisdom; stress, moodiness, tightness, headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, digestive problems, etc.

The Good news
Your body can be completely trusted to tell you whether you are smoothly and positively flowing your energies. The messages will be very specific. Listen up.

There are benefits when we do respect body wisdom; a sense of well-being, good night sleeps, energy, healthy digestion, soft and supple muscles in areas such as shoulders and neck, serenity, etc.

Sherry didn't want to suffer
Sherry didn't see much room for change in her life. She said she needed to run her business, needed her cell phone, and was not willing to give up coffee. She recounted her last 'health kick' and how miserable it made her.

Gentle change
Instead of imposing changes that feel punitive, the better approach is small changes that feel loving and wellness based. The energy behind the two approaches is noticably different.


Progress, not perfection is the ideal.


In the spirit of self-care, Sherry committed to a 2-week trial period of several small changes.

Cell phone off during meals and when driving.
Drinking only tea in the evenings.
To bed half an hour earlier.
No business obligations on Sundays.
Epilogue
These small changes made a tremendous difference for Sherry. She liked the specific time frame. It felt do-able. She noticed her body stress level decrease and her energy level increase. She was sleeping easily and right through the night.

Following her 2-week trial, Sherry decided that she would continue, and is looking at making some small healthy changes in her food plan.

The Most Important Piece
Changes made in the spirit of self-acceptance and loving care are the ones that last.

For Your Journal, for Your thoughts

What is my body telling me about the way I am living?
Where does my body experience stress, excitement?
When I am in certain situations, do I feel light, heavy?
What do the sensations mean to me?
Things to consider: (all free and easy to do)

Adequate rest
Updated healthcare appointments
Healthful, nourishing foods
8 glasses of water a day
Vitamin supplements
Time for play and creativity
Time outside, appreciating nature, fresh air

©2009 Joyce Lee
www.joyceleelifecoach.com

Runner's Yoga

Now that I am a runner I don't know how anyone runs without doing yoga as well. The stiffness, tight shortening muscles.... yoga saves the day!

Many poses are helpful, such as Legs Up a Wall, Downward Facing Dog, Reclining Hand to Toe, just to name a few for stretching. Then there's the strenthening poses like Dolphin and Plank, which also work your core to avoid lower back injuries.

Besides runners, I've taught skaters and ballet instructors, who have all benefitted from doing yoga. Along with a great stretch, strenghtening and helping to avoid injuries, yoga is great for concentration as well as proper breathing. When your chest is more open you have more of your lungs available for more air intake. When you're running your heart out... who wouldn't want a little more air?

The new Runner's Yoga class begins Saturday, May 23-June 11. Click here for details.

Practical Secrets to Peaceful Productivity

With permission from the author... I thought this was a great blog entry to share.... enjoy! Kim.

:-)

Overwhelm is one of the toughest things my coaching clients face. No surprise, of course. The people I work with - whether they're in my Platinum Mastermind, or my Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program, or at one of my women's retreats - tend to have one thing in common: They're creative types with lots of great ideas and a deep desire to be of service in the world. (If you're reading this, you're probably that kind of person, too.)
Creative types are often challenged by the practical day-to-day stuff of life. To-do's, organization, finances, getting things done. NONE of this comes easy to them! Overwhelm becomes a way of life. Only problem is this:
Overwhelm leaves you emotionally drained, constantly feeling like you'll never quite catch up. As a creative person, you might have to accept that you'll be overwhelmed on a regular basis, but you can also take a few practical steps to overcome overwhelm. Here are five secrets I've learned along the way that have helped me get back on purpose in my daily life. 1 - Get out of the weeds If you've ever waitressed, then you know what it means to be "in the weeds." So much is happening so fast that you can't even pause to regroup. Many of us live our whole lives like this! We wake up and just start reacting.
If this is you, then it's time to get out of the weeds and into the habit of something I call Self-Summits. A Self-Summit is a weekly 30-minute practice - Sunday's are perfect! - during which you connect with your intentions, remind yourself of your goals, and get clear on your priorities. You look at the week ahead and:· List your top three priorities (not your 57 to-do's!) for the week. · Get clear on upcoming appointments. · Schedule your work-out time, your writing time, your downtime, etc. This one practice does wonders for keeping you on track. Even if your week doesn't work out
exactly as planned, this is better than not having any plan at all! 2 - Project vs. Task Is this your to-do list? --> "Re-paint house. Create website. Write book. Eat healthy." If so, then it's time to discern between a project and a task. A project is something big...like a website. It looms like a monolith on your to-do list, with its own foreboding theme song that plays every time you glance at it.
A task, on the other hand, is something you can actually complete. Like, "Write bio." Or "Call Photographer." Learn to break down your projects into tasks during your Self-Summits, and you'll reduce your overwhelm by at least 75%! 3 - Experience Completion I often make my clients set their weekly goals so small that they laugh at me. I do this because most of the creatives I work with have never allowed themselves the bold luxury of simply experiencing completion. When you experience completion, then you can maintain your motivation. When you are always running to keep up with your 73-item to-do list, then you are prone to overwhelm and burn out. Make your goals and your to-do list small so that you can revel in getting complete! Think of completion as an essential vitamin that makes you immune to overwhelm! 4 - Set the Timer This will sound so simple and stupid that you'll think, "Yea, yea yea. Got it. A timer. Duh." But hear me out!
Let's say you've scheduled 2 hours to write Chapter 4 of your book. Set the timer for 55 minutes, and write. Don't go one minute over or under. Take a five-minute break. Then set your timer for another 55 minutes. When the clock is running, you won't be as tempted to go downstairs to put the clothes in the dryer, or see if the mail has arrived. It's an effective mind game that keeps your butt in the chair and your focus on the task. Even my most skeptical clients have become believers in the timer. 5 - Eliminate All-Or-Nothing Thinking Many creatives see only two options: Either be fun-loving, chaotic, creative and spontaneous... OR
Be a totally boring robot who never experiences love or joy. This is called All-or-Nothing Thinking. It is also a "Limiting Belief." It is downright untrue and even destructive, and it will keep you playing catch-up forever! The trick to overcoming overwhelm is to play with these new habits. Tweak them so they work for YOU. Many people use all-or-nothing thinking as an excuse for not even trying. They give up on themselves way too quickly. Don't expect to be perfect when you first start digging out of overwhelm. But DO expect yourself to keep practicing these habits.

By Christine Kane

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at http://www.christinekane.com/.

Law of Attraction: Setting your intention - for a joyful day, week and life.

Do you have a routine to start your day off right? Do you set an intent for a joyful day, week or life in general?

Today is Monday. I was just telling someone “I LOVE Mondays”! I try to make sure that I have no appointments or pressing obligations and make the day about journaling, yoga, meditation, play and having fun to set the tone of positivity for the whole week.

The law of attraction states that what you think about you will draw to you – wanted or unwanted. I love the weekend because it is family time but I don’t want to dread the end of the weekend or the beginning of the ‘work-week’ either. So, I make Mondays joyful and come into the week gently.
Many people are not as lucky as I to be working from home on this beautiful Monday morning. Many are not happy in general so how can you be joyful in the first place?

First, ask yourself what kind of day do you want? On a scale of 1-10..... a 10 right? What would a 10 look like?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 I wrote this on ‘Happiness’:

Happiness

If you ever think to yourself that you’re just not happy, whether it’s that day or life in general, you may want to remember not to think too far ahead. Life is just a series of moments. It’s just about that one moment.... so make it a perfect one!

Here’s a tip... first, you have to know what makes YOU happy. Then do THAT.

This is what I call MY “Prescription for Wellness”:

RUN, 2-3 times per week. Yesterday was amazing... I pretended that when I was breathing deeply it was like I was drinking in the fresh air and that my face was like a flower taking in the sunshine like food.

JOURNAL, daily. What I want and what I am planning to manifest. If there's anything negative in my life I put it here and move to focus on a solution and not dwell on the negative.

YOGA, daily even if it's just a few poses. Fortunately, I teach yoga so I get to do it for a minimum of 2 hours a week. This keeps my body flexible and my mind clear and calm.

TAKE A CLASS. This gets me out with other adults (I'm a mom to a toddler) and gets me doing something in the winter months. It's belly dancing right now.

GET OUTSIDE, a few times a week. Even if it's in the dead of winter just to shovel the driveway. I crave the outdoors and the sun.

SPIRITUAL REMINDERS. Books, cds.... I have a few books and get some cds on a regular basis that uplift me any time in my life, no matter what. I need to keep them close and listen to them often.

LOOK GOOD. I need to keep my hair cut, keep my eyebrows waxed, have facials.... to feel that I look my best to BE my best.

This is how I stay connected, whole and happy.

Blessings,Kim

Prenatal Yoga with Kim

I have a Prenatal Yoga class 8-week session beginning again on Wednesday, May 20th at my Belleville location. I thought this would be a great time to answer my most asked questions and give a brief description of the class.


The first concern I usually hear is that the mom-to-be hasn’t done yoga before.... and that’s ok! Most of the moms I see have no experience with yoga. My Prenatal Yoga classes are set up for the mom to relax, prepare for birth, bond with their baby and ensure that pregnancy is a wonderful experience! Everyone is encouraged to move at their own pace, only do postures that give joy and have fun.


To prepare for the birth of your baby we do a series of hip opening postures, breathing techniques and relaxation. To help make pregnancy a joyful time in your life we stretch our bodies in places that moms most complain about (to me) throughout pregnancy.


This leads me to the ‘most asked questions’ part..... I am often asked about sciatic symptoms so I do reclining hand to toe, which I found helped me tremendously. Also, leg cramps seem to be an issue for some so we stretch hamstrings with some forward folds. We do cat cow pose to strengthen backs and help to stretch ‘complaining’ backs. If there are any issues that come up with a mom's pregnancy I always do my best to not only find out what might be of assistance but to also try it out during class. I want to be the most support I can in this wonderful, but sometimes stressful time for a family.


I took my Yoga Teacher Training course throughout my pregnancy so I had to do research to be sure that I didn’t hurt myself or my baby. It ended up to be a lovely experience. I’ve now taught many Prenatal Yoga classes, as well as Mom & Baby Yoga classes (since 2008), in support of moms-to-be as well as recovering moms.... and loved every minute of it!!!


Click here to find out more about my Prenatal or Mom & Baby Yoga classes as well as Gentle Relaxation Hatha Yoga classes.


Be sure to check with your health care provider before beginning, as with any exercise routine.

"Supporing families, holistically"

Your Anger Metre

Someone informed me today that not only has she read my blog (the ‘old’ one) but bought a book I recommended because of it! Yaaaaay!!

Since I am planning to remove the ‘old’ blog and replace it with this newer and cooler one, I thought I would re-post this blog entry. It’s from Saturday, November 8, 2008. The person meditating in the picture shown is ME, in the yoga studio, very pregnant! Comments are always welcome. Enjoy!

YOUR ANGER METRE

Someone taking what you say totally out of context, someone else getting intensely angered at a seemingly innocent comment, rude people, bad drivers, people expecting you to live your life the way THEY think you should... does it ever feel like people are trying to test your anger metre? It certainly does to me, lately.... and it’s only going to get worse coming into the holiday season!!

Here’s one perspective on anger..... Thick That Hanh teaches that anger is a form of disease and how can you blame or not have compassion for someone with an illness? But, if YOU are the one with the anger ‘disease’ why not treat it like you would any other illness? I used to have a really short fuse, road rage, the whole package! My husband and I were discussing it just last night and the fact that we’re both very different people than we were just a few years ago. Here’s what is turning it around for me and my husband.... Yoga, Meditation and, about 3 years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to the book “Ask and It Is Given” by Jerry & Esther Hicks that changed my look on life and my beliefs forever.

Most people have heard that yoga and meditation reduces stress and calms the body. Know why? Breathing deeply, through your nose, warms the air and calms the body. Focusing your mind inward trains your brain to focus on one thing and have more of a clutter-free mind. Yoga and meditation take away the stress hormones that create the ‘fight or flight’ reaction.

I have heard people say that they’ve tried yoga or meditation a few times and it didn’t work for them but if you went to your medical doctor for a pill to take symptoms away, and didn’t take the pill, you wouldn’t expect the symptoms to go away. If you went to your naturopathic doctor for some herbs to cure an illness, and you were inconsistent in taking the herbs, you wouldn’t expect the illness to go away. Same with yoga and meditation.... you need to do it regularly for it to have an effect on you. It’s habitual. The more you do it, the better it works.

The Abraham teachings really hit home with me right from the first book I read, “Ask and it is Given” and I not only have all the books, I sell them now, too. I’ve also seen Esther and Jerry Hicks speak in person. You can get a daily inspirational quote from their website sent right to your email inbox and two years after I’ve been getting them I still am excited each morning to see what they have to say! Here’s their website: http://tinyurl.com/64nvxc

Regardless of how calm a person you turn out to be, some people are going to be even more annoyed with you the more in alignment that you are. Some would say, “You just can’t win!” but I say, “Those who are in alignment have already won!”

Mom & Baby Yoga

I am hoping to have a Mom & Baby Yoga class start next week, here at the PH studio, and I'm pretty excited about it! I LOVE that class and if I could use the sounds of the giggling babies the class would be full every time at both locations.

I get lots of questions about the class and have even had a mom tell me that her husband asked her if we just sit around watching the babies do yoga! Too funny!

:-)

I tell moms that the time to start just about when they feel they are ready and have had a baby as young as 3 weeks in the class. For the baby the concern isn't 'too young' but 'too old'. When a baby can crawl, the last thing he/she wants is to be tied to mom.... they want to use their new skill and explore. So, about 3 weeks until crawling is the perfect age.

Another question I commonly get is what do you do in class? No experience is necessary at all....I have a breathing exercise to start with, some ab exercises, some hip openers (all the while baby is sitting/standing on mom), some baby time that focuses just on baby and some standing things where moms are standing while holding their baby. At the end of the class we do a calming meditation.

Moms are encouraged to feed/nurse and change their baby any time during or before/after the class. Meditation is the perfect time for feeding as it's a loving and calming way to end the class and assist for a very joyful ride home!

I LOVE this class and hope that I always have a class going! It's a lovely way to not only bond with your baby but relax, have fun AND see other moms. A wonderful social outlet!

In 2008 there was a nice article done on my class from Linda O'Conner at the Belleville Intel. Check it out if you like: http://tinyurl.com/ch8qa6

Do you love what you do?

So, this is my first post on my NEW blog... woo hoo! I’ve done it before, on my website, but it wasn’t as much fun and certainly not as cool!

I’ve got lots to say but where to start?? Hmmm... I have my dream job, teaching yoga. I am certified in yoga instruction (Hatha Yoga) and teach Mom & Baby Yoga as well. My darling husband built a yoga studio in our home (in the Quinte area) and we call it “Patchoulimoon Holistics”, where I also sell holistic products. ‘Holistic’ meaning body, mind and spirit..... natural body care products, singing bowls, books, cds... that sort of thing.

I LOVE my life and would only change two things.... #1 - I’d like to teach more yoga and #2 - have more money coming in. Who wouldn't want more money?

So, that’s what I do.... what about YOU? Do you do what you love? How is it going???

Many Blessings,
Kim