According to the April 2010 issue of Self Magazine:

“Be a copycat: Watching or even thinking of someone with good habits may improve your own, a study from the University of Georgia in Athens notes. Observing a disciplined person brings self-control to the front of your mind. Keep a pic of a role model near your fridge or gym bag. ”

An NLP technique, (see “What is Neurolinguistic Programing” under the My Coaching Approach section on this site), that takes this one step further is called Modeling. The idea is that if you want to achieve certain results, model the exact  behavior of someone who has achieved the outcome that you desire and you will achieve your goal. For example, if your friend cooks a delishes salmon dinner you’ll be able to cook salmon just as well if you follow the exact recipe that your friend used.

If you’re interested in developing new habits and achieving your goals, a good coach can get you to where you want to be. Feel free to contact me so we can discuss what you’d like to make happen by the summer.

According to the April 2010 issue of Men’s Fitness magazine (they got their info. from the Journal of the American Medical Association):

21 + is the number of times per month you need to ejaculate in order to lower your risk of Prostate Cancer.

The reason I haven’t been updating my blog lately is because I’ve been in Florida for the last few weeks. My father passed away at the end of January. This has been a difficult time for me. I’ll write about it when I feel up to it. While I was away, I went into one of those New Age stores and saw a quote that really spoke to me, especially in light of what’s been going on in my own life.

“Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should…”

This information comes from the April 2010 issue of Men’s Health magazine.

People who eat 12 most contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day, according to the Environmental Working Group. Those who consume the least contaminated produce ingest fewer than two pesticides a day. Of course, the optimal number is zero.

12 foods you  should ALWAYS buy organic

Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Straweberries, Cherries, Kale, Lettuce, Imported Grapes, Carrots, Pears

15 Foods that RELATIVELY PESTICIDE FREE

Onions, Avocados, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Mangoes, Asparagus, Sweet Peas, Kiwis, Cabbage, Eggplants, Papayas, Watermelon, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes

For all of you coffee lovers out there, here’s something that I read in Woman’s World magazine.

Just a whiff of java helps send your levels of the stress hormone cortisol plummeting, even if you’re sleep-deprived, suggests new research.

This list of Pain to Power Vocabulary is extremely empowering. It comes from Susan Jeffer’s book, Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway.

Pain                                                              Power

I can’t————————————I won’t

I should———————————-I could

It’s not my fault————————–I’m totally responsible

It’s a problem—————————-It’s an opportunity

I’m never satisfied———————–I want to learn and grow

Life’s a struggle————————–Life’s an Adventure

I hope————————————-I know

If only————————————-Next Time

What will I do?—————————I know I can handle it

It’s terrible——————————–It’s a learning experience

Here are 7 ways to reclaim your power according to Susan Jeffers in her classic book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. :

1. Avoid casting blame on an external force for your bad feelings about life. Nothing outside yourself can control your thinking or your actions.

2. Avoid blaming yourself for not being in control. You are doing the best you can and you are on the way to reclaiming your power.

3. Be aware of when and where you are playing the victim role. Learn the clues that tell you that you are not being responsible for what you are being, having, doing, or feeling.

4. Familiarize yourself with you biggest enemy - your Chatterbox. (In Co-Active Coaching, we often refer to this as your saboteur. It’s the internal voice of negative self talk that prevents us from being our best selves. Ask me more about it.) Replace it with a loving internal friend.

5. Figure out the payoffs that keep you “stuck”. Paradoxically, once you find them, you will probably be able to quickly become “unstuck”.

6. Determine what you want in life and act on it. Stop waiting for someone to give it to you. You’ll be waiting a long time.

7. Be aware of the many choices you have - in both actions and feelings - in any situation that comes your way. Choose the path that contributes to your growth and makes you feel at peace with yourself and others.

A friend and fellow holistic health counselor sent me a link to Andrew Weil’s site so I could read his 11 Simple Detox Tips. I wanted to share it with all of  you.

Environmental toxins such as lead, mercury and dioxin are serious hazards to human health. Fortunately, there are ways to both minimize your exposure to and lower the quantity of toxins in your body.

To reduce your exposure:

• Do not smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.
• Eat organically grown, pesticide-free foods whenever possible.
• Eat foods lower on the food chain.
• Do not ingest toxic or synthetic substances, including artificial colors in foods.
• Avoid living or working near hazardous sites such as reclaimed landfills or toxic waste dumps.
• Seek employment that does not involve contact with chemicals or chemical solvents.

To reduce toxins that have accumulated in your body:

• Drink plenty of pure water.
• Have regular bowel movements - eating a diet with plenty of whole grains and fresh, organic fruits and vegetables can promote healthy digestion.
• Breathe clean air deeply.
• Sweat - a sauna, steam bath or vigorous exercise can help to promote sweating.
• Try milk thistle (Silybum marianum). This herb may have beneficial, detoxifying effects, and supports optimal liver function. Look for extracts standardized to 70-80 percent silymarin, and take two capsules twice a day or as the label directs.

People seem to be afraid to make life changes because of fear. Basically, we imagine some sort of scenario and then we run with it. In order to avoid the potential terrible thing that might possibly happen, we simply do nothing.  Instead of taking a risk, we do nothing and stay either miserable, bored, or just blah.

In recent months, I’ve been forced to face certain fears and make major life changes. None of the fears came true. The changes weren’t scary. My life is better than ever. It turns out that certain fears that were holding me back for years and influencing pretty much all of my life choices, were a complete waste of time. Guess what? You don’t have to wait for tragedy, trauma, or desperation to strike in order to get what you want and move forward in your life. I picked up Susan Jeffer’s classic book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. In it she states that:

“It is reported that over 90% of what we worry about never happens. That means that our negative thoughts have about a 10% chance of being correct.”

This week I challenge you to “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway”.

I am currently reading a book by Deepak Chopra called Life After Death: The Burden of Proof. In this book he has a list of The Powers You Need to successfully navigate “the other side”. The reason I’m sharing his list with all of you is that I think this is a list that can be used in this life (in the here and now) to survive life’s emotional ups and down.. Here’s the list:

The Powers That You Need

• Self-awareness: The Power to know yourself. This power keeps you centered.
• Willingness: The power to open your mind. This power allows reality to be seen despite old conditioning and beliefs.
• Intention: The power to manifest desires. This power connects you with your purpose.
• Discrimination:The power to make fine distinctions. This power guides you in the subtleties of understanding.
• Acceptance: The power of nonresistance. This power enables you to integrate reality into yourself.