Put "fun" on your to-do list today!

I don't know if you're like me, but when I hear the words "stress reduction" my ears perk up. Stress reduction - I ask you, "Who doesn't need that in their life???" I know I do. I read about a stress reduction technique that coaches often use in my nursing text today.

After getting off the telephone with one of my clients, I was doing some homework and came across these words. They struck a chord with me because my client had just been asking me if she was taking on too much and as every good life coach is taught, I answered her question with a question. "Of all that you are doing, what gives you life?"

So, here's what I read:

"The next step is restructuring and setting priorities, which involves shifting the balance from stress-producing to stress-reducing activities. A recent study indicated that the daily occurrence of pleasant events had a positive effect on the immune system. In fact, adding pleasurable events has more benefit than simply reducing stressful or negative ones (CBS Health Watch, 2000).

Essentially, learn to replace time-consuming chores that are not really necessary with activities that are pleasurable or interesting. Making time for recreation is as essential for healthy living as is paying bills or shopping for groceries."

Did you read that? I'll say it again for effect, "Making time for fun is as important for healthy living as paying bills and shopping for groceries." The daily occurrence of pleasant events has a positive effect on our immune system. Wow - that's good news for those of us who love to have fun and want to live healthy lives, don't you think?

I dare you to make time for fun this week! Put it on your to-do list if you're all about healthy living.

Planning for fun,
Cindy



P.S. I can't believe I'm quoting my textbooks - what has my world come to?

Varcarolis, Elizabeth M., Verna Benner Carson, and Nancy Shoemaker. Foundations of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing A Clinical Approach. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2006. Print.

Take a little picnic away...

So, it's been a crazy busy week here in my little world. So many men...so little time (just kidding - do you remember that song from the 80's?). It's actually a case of so much to do...so little time.

Conversely, last Wednesday, Brad and I had the opportunity to drive up to King's Canyon and had a day in the mountains...a day sitting by the river. Can you hear the late summer not-so-in-a-rush water flowing over the rocks? Can you see the sun peaking out from behind the clouds forming over the mountain? Can feel the breeze gently chilling you as it passes by? Ahhh...how it soothes the soul. I got to take a long walk by myself. It reminded me of my high school days in New Hampshire. I would come home from school and take little hikes through the woods or meander down our secluded road...some days it would even be snowing. Oh, how I loved those walks. It was my way of getting away from it all. I walked, I dreamed, I contemplated, I processed. It was good.

Brad and I love to take day trips to the mountains or the coast. We love to cast ourselves into nature. If you're like us, funds are a bit tight right now but all it costs us for a day away is the gas to get there and back. Our little "picnics" away from it all allow us to dream and contemplate. It never fails on our drives to and fro (I've started bringing a hand-held recorder to capture these moments) - We dream. We create. We brainstorm. Good stuff happens. Visions are planted. New ways of thinking emerge. Energy flows.

The creative juices flow when we take the time to get away. I dare you to step away from the desk, the email, the cell phone, facebook, the rat race...I dare you to step away from it all every so often - be intentional. Get away for the day or even just for lunch - just make sure you take time to "get away". Let it flow...all that stuff that stays trapped on the treadmill of life. I dare you to plan your little picnic away. I dare you to put it on your calendar today.

Contemplating and implementing our brainstorms on our day away,
Cindy

P.S. I met this cat on facebook. He's a cat that's not daunted by stereo-types. He's sees what he wants and goes for it. I dare us to do the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UTdhK0lwuw

Chocolate is good for the heart...

I am almost positive that chocolate is good for you and your heart. "They" tell me dark chocolate's got anti-oxidants and those are good for you, right? Because I'm a girl who LOVES chocolate, I'm all over that kind of talk/research. It does my heart good.

Here's some of my own anecdotal evidence: The other day I was indulging in a piece of Dove dark chocolate and I got this little message in the wrapping - Dove calls it a promise message. The message said, "You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore." That's deep (pun intended). It might even be profound if it helps just one of us discover our "new ocean".

Are you on the journey of discovery? Do you have the courage to lose sight of the shore? I dare you to join me in setting sail. I dare you to give it some thought. Get out your binoculars. I dare you to put your sails up and see where the winds will take you. What do you need to leave on shore? What thoughts aren't invited for the sail? What ocean are you exploring?

Out discovering,

Cindy

What's on your list?

I have this special friend named Cindy Mitchell. That was my maiden name not too long ago. I think it's cool to know someone with your own name. Call me silly that way.

Cindy Mitchell's son, Robert, has inspired me this week. He's baking 21 desserts to share with others (you should have seen the pile of 149 yummy chocolate chip cookies - the picture made my mouth water). Robert Mitchell turned 21 this year, but since he has uncontrolled epilepsy, he knew that he wouldn't be able to do the things that most 21-year-olds do. So he created a list of 21 things that he wanted to accomplish before he turns 22. He calls it his "21 list". Robert is intentional. Robert wants to a live life to the fullest and he's doing it at 21. How's that for inspiring?

Read about his date with 21 girls - WOW!
www.tiny.cc/datewith21girls

Whatever your age, whenever your birthday - I dare you to celebrate life. What do you want to do this year to celebrate YOU? What will you do this week to celebrate your life? What's the one thing you've been wanting to do? Make plans to do it. Make it your goal to make it happen. Take one step closer. Just celebrate YOU.

Celebrating,
The other Cindy Mitchell =) (aka Cindy Steele)

Have you ever had that "less than" feeling?

I love to talk and write about the power of girlfriends.  We have so much to give and receive from each other.  You've heard me say, "Girlfriends rock".  

Yet, there's a power our girlfriends hold that at times may have a negative impact upon us.  It's something that we don't talk about often and on some level it's a factor that's been added to the mix by our culture.   

A vital step in our growth process is the healing that comes along the way.  In growth, we we get to be honest with ourselves.  So today, I want to touch upon something I think we can all relate to - something that if we're honest, we've all been there and done that.  I speak from experience.

SOMETIMES women compare and compete with each other.  I'm sure we could agree that comparing and competing leaves us with feelings of angst.  We feel like the odd girl out.  We don't fit in.  We feel less than and lacking (just plain inadequate)...I'm not pretty enough.  Smart enough.  Confident enough.  Old enough.  Young enough.  Skinny enough.  Bold enough.  Spiritual enough.  Out-going enough.   Friendly enough.  I don't have enough money.  I don't have the right clothes.  I don't have this...I don't have that.  She's got a boyfriend...I don't.  She's got a husband and kids, how come I don't?  She's single, foot-loose and fancy-free...I'm not.  You've got the idea.

I realize that's a bit extreme and maybe even exaggerated but I need to make my point.  I need to call the darkness into the light.  It's the darkness that lives deep within the crevices of our hearts.  It was put there way back when.  If it didn't happen on the jungle gym in preschool or the playgrounds of elementary school, then it definitely got planted there in the hallways of middle school.  It's yuck.  It's what each of us as women carry around with us, some own a little of that darkness, others have stock in it.  Most of us thought we threw away the combination to the locker that holds this ugliness in jr. high.  

I think each of us still carries it with us to varying degrees.  Some of us, "let" it out in large crowds of women, others might notice it amongst best friends.  All I know is it's time to talk about it.  It's time to admit it, renounce it, release it and be healed.  It's time to support each other and help each other live in the truth.   With all the self-work I've done,  I would have thought that this part of me got healed.  Yet, upon careful examination,  I've realized that these wounds that have their root in my neighborhood of girlfriends growing up are still there and show their "less than" head in certain situations amongst women.  I must gratefully say that I have an incredible group of girlfriends that reinforce the truth that I am a treasure and I have something to give.  But yet, I've noticed every so often I sense that "less than" feeling.  I don't like it.  It goes against who I am and what I value.  Yet, it's there.  So I'm calling it into the light.  I dare you to join me in calling out this feeling within us. 

It's something we all do.  Let's dare to begin a journey as women united together to stamp out this thing we'll call "less than".  I use to be the director of a transitional house of women in recovery from substance abuse and homelessness.  Most of you have heard that the first step to recovery is to admit that we are powerless over the problem.  Take this week and become aware.  Dare to admit we have a problem.  Choose to talk about it with safe girlfriends or just take note of if and when you feel this way.  

If you want to join my new cause (stamping out feelings of less than), email me or if you dare, post this to facebook (there's a button below).   Let me know what you think.  I love receiving feedback.  I'd love to hear from you and join forces - who knows where this cause will take us.  It's not something we can heal overnight.  I will continue to speak about the incredible value of girlfriends and you can bet at my next workshop, I'll be addressing this topic.

Learning to live in the light,
Cindy

This summer I...

If you know me, you know I'm all about the learning curve - well, actually all about the learning - we could send the steep curve packing as far as I'm concerned.

Growing is vital.  It keeps us alive, literally and figuratively.  Once again, I was on facebook - NO I'm not on it ALL the time - and read a really great status update.  Mi amiga, Allyson, wrote this:

Ok, here's SOME of what I learned this summer: Bright orange vans are great fun, even when no longer so bright. Prayer on a soccer field before Bible school can lead to cool things.  If you jump out of a van in motion you are likely to face plant. (thanks, Tim, for that one.)  I might have a Quaker soul. I should not laugh very much or very hard with ANYTHING in my bladder. I know a lot of brave hearts.

Allyson and Brent are warm and welcoming people.  They run a missions camp in Ensenada, Mexico.  Allyson is the kinda friend I don't get to see often enough but every time we are together we laugh out loud (note her note on what she's learned this summer), we cry (mostly from laughing so hard), and we share from the deep wells of our hearts.  She is one of my most FUN friends. 

I love that she took the time to notice what she learned this summer.  She took the time to mark it down, to set a stake in the ground and then she shared it, "I learned this..."  She is intentional about growing.  She desires it.  I love that lady!

Then, the inevitable came as I read her status, "Oh, what did I learn this summer?  Hmm...I'm thinking I did some learning of my own.  I need to take note, so it gets properly catalogued in my brain and more importantly in my heart."  

I dare you to take some time this week to contemplate what you've learned this summer.  Seasons are a good time to recount, to take note and mark it down.  Be honest with yourself.  I dare you to share it with others.  If you're on fb, I dare you to post what you learned this summer to your status update.  If you're at a party or small gathering this weekend, I dare you to ask the question.  Be prepared with an answer of your own =)   I'm sure it will stimulate conversation and get people to pondering.

Check out my status update later today to find out what I learned or just email me - I'll send you my list.

Still learning,
Cindy

What are you asking for?

So, Maxine is at it again. She's a bit edgy and some might say a lil' bit cranky but oh does she make me laugh in that silly place. Thanks Dawn for sending me her living will =)






Maxine's Living Will

"I, Maxine, being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means.

Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of politicians who couldn't pass ninth grade biology if their lives depended on it, or lawyers/doctors interested in simply running up the bills.

If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:

glass of wine, chocolate, margarita, sex, martini, cold beer, chocolate, french fries, pizza, chocolate, sex, ice cream, cup of tea, chocolate, chocolate, sex, chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.

It should be presumed that I won't ever get better. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my appointed person and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes, let the 'fat lady sing,' and call it a day!"

So, it's time to tell the truth. What are you asking for? What's on your list of the must haves in this life? I think this list might be tell-tale of what's really important to us. I dare you to think beyond chocolate and wine (I can't believe I just said that =).

I'm thinking about what's on my list as I send this out. There are some definite must haves - and then there are some things that I wish were on the must have list instead of the must do list (like my workout - that's a must do that I would like to have in my heart as a must have). Take 15 minutes this week and write out your must have's list. I dare you to be honest and tell the truth.

Livin' life,
Cindy