Countdown to Awesomeness
As I look at the calendar, I’m baffled by the fact that my children only have 2 weeks left of school.
I, myself, am down to just 3 weeks left of coursework and my final test for graduation from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to receive my full diploma as a certified holistic health coach. I already have my mid-certificate to start seeing clients, but I’m stoked about completing this program and having some time to dedicate to running some live workshops scheduled for June, tele-seminars, a video series and my first book. So many exciting things are on their way this summer!
I am also looking forward to finishing up a 16 wk stretch of training for my new job in social services. This has required a bit more travel than I originally knew about, so with the school year and training period coming to an end in many areas of my life – I definitely consider this a countdown to awesomeness!
So, with that in mind I’d like to share what I’ve learned since last July:
- Bigger is NOT better. I grew up in a small town and I couldn’t wait to leave. I wished for my kids to live in a city, go to school in the city and have a broader perspective on life than I thought others did not posses when I was growing up. I registered my kids for a smaller school this year in a small town (my home town, in fact) where they receive a more sutured education than I could ever have dreamed of when I see them thriving every day.
- One Size does NOT fit all in terms of health. We are all so bio-individual it’s ridiculous. As I wrote a paper today for school comparing two dietary theories, I realized that in the past I would have chosen one and tried to make it work for me, because other people were the experts. Today, I looked at these theories and saw that I practiced the best from both because I am the expert on me. I have learned to slow down, hear what my body tells me it needs and have patience with that process. Even if I think being patient for that long is going to kill me! Seriously, though, I have seen a REAL change in my body since I have begun to do that. If I keep waiting for perfection in my results, I won’t be finding them anytime soon and I think as a society, we are TOO quick to jump on that train. This type of thinking is damaging to our process and progress.
- One little change can throw your life into a tail spin. No duh, right? I put this theory to the test when I took a job as a wage earner working outside of my home in a close by city. I have always worked more than full-time, but I grossly underestimated all of the changes the commute and the different work situation would have on our family. I deem the move as positive overall, but I am still struggling at times during the week to make a conscious effort to tell myself that I cannot do it all in the time I have. I have to be OK with my house needing to be vacuumed for days at a time. The world will not close in on itself and my kids sure don’t care! Again – patience in the imperfection.
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A little more on why I’m doing what I do:
Why the World NEEDS Health Coaches!
Cuckoo for Coconut Oil
Are you Cuckoo for Coconut Oil? Then you won’t want to miss out on this FREE e-Book hot off the presses from Delicious Obsessions!
5 Quick Ways to Get Happy Now
I began working a new job in social services about 2 months ago. Yesterday, I was speaking to a client whom I asked, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?”
He replied: “No, unless you have an application for happiness. Or joy. What about joy?”
I answered, “Well, I shall see if I can dig up the paperwork for that somewhere. In the meantime, I’ll work on your application to see what I can help you with.” We had a good nervous tongue-in-cheek laugh about that.
Later, I was able to update him we could indeed help and we’d be able to have that available to him the very next day. The sound in his voice, how he changed demeanor in such a significant way when I delivered the news. Here was a person so willing to be happy, that he’d even apply for it. The change in his personality reminded me that happiness truly is all about perspective. I don’t want to invalidate times of trial. It is tough and it weighs a person down. But, even in those times, I think we are all capable of pulling out of it with a bit of a change in the approach.
So, what can we do? Try these 5 Quick Ways to Get Happy Now
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Guest Post: Whipped Coconut Oil
Crystal is a wife, mother, daycare provider, Independent Beauty Consultant, blogger, and (not-so-professional) organizer. I’m busy! I share ideas and inspiration about things I love: organizing, crafts, health & nutrition, party planning, food, and more. My Blissful Space represents that happy place…that feeling you get when you have organized the clutter, completed a project, or enjoyed a really good piece of chocolate! From my blissful space to yours, welcome!
I am so excited to be here with the Prairie Healer to post my first guest blog! Sandra and I were introduced through a mutual friend, and we immediately started plans for me to guest blog here. Well, two busy ladies and a few months later, and here we are!
Like Sandra, I am a lover of all things natural and homemade, and increasingly I have been replacing store-bought products with my own creations. (Not my own recipes, mind you, but things made myself with natural ingredients.) I have used natural cleaners for 10-15 years and last year started making my own laundry detergent (which I LOVE!).
For almost my entire life I have suffered with skin issues, and now that cortisone shots no longer help, I am referring to natural remedies to find a solution. (More on my skin condition here.) As I am learning all the benefits of coconut oil, I decided this would be a simple method to try. (Besides the ideas Sandra shares for how to use coconut oil, you can search Google or Pinterest and find hundreds of uses!) I recently made my own shower gel with coconut oil as an ingredient, and also whipped coconut oil to use as lotion and shaving cream, which I will share with you today.
My best friend and I were recently at Costco and found this huge tub of coconut oil. We were ecstatic because we’re both using coconut oil increasingly in cooking, for our skin, and for other purposes as we learn all that it can be used for.
I scooped out the amount that I wanted to use (tried to get enough to nearly fill the jar I found for it at Hobby Lobby), tossed it into my Kitchenaid mixer, and whipped it! No additional ingredients, no complicated process. Whipping makes the coconut oil much easier to handle.
I use the whipped coconut oil for lotion and for shaving cream, and the best part is that if you shave with it, you’ve just saved yourself a step and don’t need it as lotion! It takes some getting used to shaving with it, and I’m not sold on using it for the bikini area, but for the legs and underarms I think it’s a great natural solution.
It’s not TOO late – Jumpstart your Spring with a gentle Detox!
I have been getting such amazing feedback from friends, readers and clients about the 2013 Spring Detox Guide I want to post about it again. I love when people write to me to keep me posted on their progress and even where they are stuck or their frustrations!
One recent user of the 3 day detox guide said this: “I was NEVER hungry, and I couldn’t believe my energy and clarity of mind.” I can vouch for how resistant and skeptical of following this short eating plan she was. She even admitted she’d been really down and depressed, this way of eating helped pull her out of her funk. She was SO pumped up! And, of course, so was I!
A friend of mine just back into her skinny jeans. And ladies – we ALL know how exciting that is! “Thanks for all your encouragement and information, you are a big part of the reason I have been able to make these changes in my life. I’m very lucky to have you as my friend!”
Now is the best time to lighten your winter load and welcome spring with a refreshing cleanse.
To make it easy for you, IIN created a seasonal meal plan to help your body eliminate toxins, boost energy, and shed excess weight.
Here’s a peek inside:
- Delicious 3-day recipe guide + shopping list
- The super vegetable to get your skin glowing
- Plus, the perfect drink to start your day off right
And a little something extra: email support on how to get the most out of your cleanse.
Here’s to a healthy, happy, and revitalizing spring! Click below to get your FREE guide!
10 Ways to Enjoy Asparagus
I’ve gone dark the past couple of weeks. I’m transitioning to a new job which is requiring travel times of up to 3 hours a day for the next couple of months. Quite an adjustment (and stretch) from my previous home-office, but in the long run will be worth the effort – once I am through training!
In the meantime, I’ve really been focused on upping my vegetable intake since I am unable to be as active as I like in terms of exercise. I’m also trying to listen more to what my body is telling me it needs and one of the things it is telling me is asparagus. How do I know? I just start to think about it, then crave it and then I will usually stumble across something like this reminding me why it’s good for my body a day or two later. It always happens this way!
I usually make asparagus the same old way – pan fried with some sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, a smattering of spices from my spice rack and olive or coconut oil drizzled over it. Or I’ll grill it in similar fashion. 
But, because my body was really trying to get this message to me. I came across this great post at work on the employee blog. Not only is asparagus good for all of things mentioned above, but it’s also rich in Vitamins A & C and folate, it said. I also wanted to share this great list from the post. They sourced it from Fruits and Vegetables: More Matters.
10 Ways to Enjoy Asparagus
10 – Add steamed pieces to an egg white and feta cheese omelet. Finish with halved cherry tomoates
9 – Grilled – brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, grill 5-8 minutes until tender
8 – Cheese, crackers and asparagus. Spread soft cheese on crackers and tops with crisp asparagus head.
7 – Hearty Asparagus Soup: Puree leeks, onion, russet potatoes, asparagus, broth, lemon juice and sour cream until smooth. Garnish with asparagus tips.
6 – Steamed – saute in a pan with water and garlic.
5 – Drizzle steamed asparagus with a mustard vinaigrette.
4 – Freeze and save stems for a soup later!
3 – Serve raw with greek yogurt mixed with lemon juice, garlic and red bell pepper as a dip!
2 – Veggie Fettuccine – toss with bell pepper, fettuccine, lemon juice and Parmesan.
1 – Shake & Bake – place asparagus in a bag with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper with seasoning and shake to coat. Bake at 400 degrees until crisp.
Fitspiration for Moms
I’m also the Wellness Editor on Fitspiration for Moms! Click below to check out this great site written by an awesome collective of women writers and bloggers.
Parenthood, Mondays & Stress
It’s Monday. Sometimes it’s Manic, but I’ve heard that Bangles song way too many times, I don’t care to recant it.
As a mom, Mondays sometimes are the opportunity to go bat-shit crazy. Am I right? All my best intentions aside, sometimes no matter how early I go down, how early I rise, how much planning and batch cooking I might do on Sunday and how organized I try to be, the rush of the start of a new week and trying to “do it all” can get to a person.
This is not even counting whatever else happens during your working and/or school day. I am just talking about the shuffling of getting everyone (including yourself) to all of the places they need to be throughout the day, evening and the preparations for ending the day and doing it over again.
I love being a mother. I love being me. I love doing all of the things I need to do to live this whacky adventure and fulfill this opportunity at a life. Being busy and harried can, however, take a toll. Demands on time are just that. They are not necessarily negative and can easily be turned into a positive if you allow yourself to realize when you are having a moment and how to transition it to take the stress out of a situation.
I love this scene from the movie, Evening. It’s a flash back the main character is having on her deathbed, reflecting on that time in her life. Showing that it’s all fleeting. Stress management at it’s finest! (I highly recommend this movie, by the way.)
Happy Monday, dear readers. Be good to one another.
Morning Pages – As an Anti-Anxiety & Organizational Tool
This exercise is a wonderful tool from the Artist’s Way author, Julia Cameron, to rid our minds of clutter upon rising in the morning. One of the benefits of this is getting things out of your mind and onto the paper that you are needlessly worrying about or, perhaps in my case, worrying that I will forget about!
A moment of inspiration or a client I need to make sure to touch base with or a list of must-not-forget to-do’s.
As an artist, it’s a great way to get into your creative flow. If you are wanting to get serious about goal setting, this is a great place to do that. If you are just wanting to do a mind dump so that you can move through your day with peace, this is a great place to do that. Morning pages are private and there is no wrong way to do it. No one, but you, ever reads them. You can keep them in a locked drawer or a secret place. Free writing allows you to freely float from one thought to another, one style of writing to another. It allows you to avoid censorship and critique, so be sure to silence your inner critic. This is one time a day where you can be free to feel what you like and then immediately able to express it, so don’t squander the chance!
I really love this concept. I’ve been discouraged by my inability to rise early enough to do this in the past, but have fit it in when I can. This week I’d like to recommit to making daily morning pages a priority. I tend to do a version of this on my morning and evening commutes. And my desk is outrageously scattered with notes. I tend to joke about my “mad genius” approach, but I think the small notes are getting out of control and they don’t always get put into action!
The Tao of Dana shares her 7 Reasons Morning Pages are Nothing Short of Practical Magic and how writing morning pages in a journal can transform your world!
Click below to watch her video on this basic tool. I challenge you to consider making this practice a habit!
Basic Tool: Morning Pages from Julia Cameron on Vimeo.
2013 Spring Detox Guide
Spring is in the air! If you want to do something special for yourself in honor of this season of new beginnings, this is the ideal time of year to start, especially when it benefits your health, happiness, and career. Integrative Nutrition’s program could be the perfect way to accomplish this. To learn more about what this school can offer, I highly recommend that you listen to a live info session. But don’t wait because the next class begins on March 18th. This is a personal investment that literally keeps on giving; I have my own experience as proof of that!
Contact me for questions or how to get put in touch with resources on becoming a coach. I am happy to help!
And please be sure to grab the FREE gift – a brand NEW 2013 Spring Detox Guide! This guide takes you through a simple 3-day cleanse of fresh, seasonal foods that will:
- rid your body of toxins
- balance your mood and energy
- help you shed excess weight
Not only does this fantastic guide include tips on how to get glowing skin and stay in tune with nature, but it even contains a grocery list of all the ingredients you’ll need for the cleanse so shopping will be a breeze!
D5 Creation