New Year, New You: 21 Ways to Shift Your Self Perception

"Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got." Janis Joplin

It's hardly simple to change your thoughts and accept yourself for everything you are without criticism, but I encourage you to try. 

Read on for steps to discover your worth and enfold yourself in affection and appreciation.

{Article: TinyBuddha.com, Contributor, Tess Marshall}

1. Begin your day with love (not technology). Remind yourself of your worthiness before getting out of bed. Breathe in love and breathe out love. Enfold yourself in light. Saturate your being in love.

2. Take time to mediate and journal. Spend time focusing inward daily. Begin with 5 minutes of meditation and 5 minutes of journaling each morning. Gradually increase this time.

3. Talk yourself happy. Use affirmations to train your mind to become more positive. Put a wrist band on your right wrist. When you’re participating in self-abuse of any form, move the band to your left wrist.

4. Get emotionally honest. Let of go of numbing your feelings.Shopping, eating, and drinking are examples of avoiding discomfort, sadness, and pain. Mindfully breathe your way through your feelings and emotions.

5. Expand your interests. Try something new. Learn a language. Go places you’ve never been. Do things you haven’t done before. You have a right to an awesome life.

6. Enjoy life enhancing activities. Find exercise you like. Discover healthy foods that are good for you. Turn off technology for a day and spend time doing things that make you feel alive.

7. Become willing to surrender. Breathe, relax, and let go. You can never see the whole picture. You don’t know what anything is for. Stop fighting against yourself by thinking and desiring people and events in your life should be different. Your plan may be different from your soul’s intentions.

8. Work on personal and spiritual development. Be willing to surrender and grow. Life is a journey. We are here to learn and love on a deeper level. Take penguin steps and life becomes difficult. One step at a time is enough to proceed forward.

9. Own your potential. Love yourself enough to believe in the limitless opportunities available to you. Take action and create a beautiful life for yourself.

10. Be patient with yourself. Let go of urgency and fear. Relax and transform striving into thriving. Trust in yourself, do good work, and the Universe will reward you.

11. Live in appreciation. Train your mind to be grateful. Appreciate your talents, beauty, and brilliance. Love your imperfectly perfect self.

12. Be guided by your intuition. All answers come from within. Look for signs and pay attention to your gut feelings. You’ll hear two inner voices when you need to make a decision. The quiet voice is your higher self; the loud voice is your ego. Always go with the quieter voice.

13. Do what honors and respects you. Don’t participate in activities that bring you down. Don’t allow toxic people in your life. Love everyone, but be discerning on who you allow into your life.

14. Accept uncertainty. Suffering comes from living in the pain of the past or the fear of the future. Put your attention on the present moment and be at peace.

15. Forgive yourself. Learn from your mistakes and go forward. Use this affirmation, “I forgive myself for judging myself for __________ (fill in the blank i.e.: for getting sick, for acting out, for not doing your best.)

16. Discover the power of fun. Self-love requires time to relax, play, and create face-to-face interaction with others. Our fast-paced world creates a goal setting, competitive craziness that doesn’t leave room for play. Dr. Stuart Brow says, “The opposite of play isn’t work, it is depression.”

17. Be real. Speak up and speak out. Allow yourself to be seen, known, and heard. Get comfortable with intimacy (in-to-me-see).

18. Focus on the positive. Go to your heart and dwell on and praise yourself for what you get right in all areas.

19. Become aware of self neglect and rejection. Become conscious of your choices. Ask yourself several times throughout the day, “Does this choice honor me?”

20. Imagine what your life would look like if you believed in your worth. Dedicate your life to loving you. Make it your main event.

21. Seek professional help. Self-rejection and neglect is painful. You deserve to be happy. You have a right to be accepted and loved. If necessary, seek help from a support group, counselor, or coach. It’s the best investment you can make.

This article was found at one of my favorite websites: Tiny Buddha

Fit Friday: 9 Reasons You Should Drink Green Tea

1. Green tea is a superb fat fighter. Its active ingredient, EGCG, increases the rate at which fat is burned in your body.

2. It targets belly fat. Research at Tufts University indicates that EGCG in green tea, like other catechins, activate fat-burning genes in the abdomen to speed weight loss by 77 percent.

3. It keeps energy stable by balancing blood sugar levels. EGCG improves insulin use in the body to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes that can result in fatigue, irritability, and cravings for unhealthy foods.

4. Research shows it may be helpful against lung cancer. In an April 2010 study published in Cancer Prevention Research, EGCG was found to suppress lung cancer cell growth.

5. It may halt colorectal cancer. In numerous other studies, EGCG appears to inhibit colorectal cancers.

6. In research it appears to cause prostate cancer cells to commit suicide. A March 2010 study in Cancer Science indicated that EGCG aids the body by causing prostate cancer cells to commit suicide.

7. It may prevent skin damage and wrinkling. EGCG appears to be 200 times more powerful than vitamin E at destroying skin-damaging free radicals. Free radicals react with healthy cells in the body, causing damage so lessening their numbers may help reduce wrinkling and other signs of aging.

8. It contains a potent antioxidant that kills free radicals. Because it is a potent antioxidant it can positively impact a lot more than skin cells. Free radicals are increasingly linked to many serious chronic illnesses like arthritis, diabetes, and cancer.

9. It tastes good. If you’re not wild about the flavor, try a few different kinds. Try it iced or hot. Add some of the natural herb stevia to sweeten it if you want a sweeter drink.

Read more: HERE {Source}

Anna Burns Welker vs. NFL/Social Media

I'm probably going to get hell for this post, but I am going to write it anyway. To all my New England Patriots Fans, I'm sure you watched the disappointing Pats/Ravens game this past Sunday Night. The game in essence, was a disaster. There's no denying that the team did not play their best, and the loss was extremely frustrating and irritating to say the least. With emotions running high, the gorgeous Miss Anna Burns Welker, wife of my future husband, Wes Welker, posted this comment on her personal Facebook page:

"Proud of my husband and the Pats. By the way, if anyone is bored, please go to Ray Lewis Wikipedia page. 6 kids 4 wives. Acquitted for murder. Paid a family off. Yay. What a hall of fame player! A true role model!" (Source)

Poor woman.

She obviously didn't think about what she was saying because she got thrown into the elusive lions den of social media. Almost instantaneously  she was ridiculed by the media for speaking the truth. Sure, her comments were in poor taste, but is she wrong for speaking the truth? Why is the NFL continually trying to deny the acts of these wealthy athletes?

Take a look at the news headlines. Murder-suicides. Dog fighting. The list goes on.

Here are the facts according to the Boston Globe : "Lewis was charged with murder in 2000, and he ultimately pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice in exchange for testifying against two other men. The case is-legitimately- something sports historians will take into account when the assess his career." (Source)

With that being said, why did everyone jump on her like she was the person who killed someone?

The following tweets I found on Twitter:

"Athletes need to control their "outspoke" wives/girlfriends. Anna Burns Welker, nobody cares what you have to say. #shuttheffup." @IamEricVincent.

"Anna Burns Welker is the reason why athletes wives are better seen and not heard." @H8MeeNow."

"Anna Burns Welker...get my wings, stay off Twitter, and STFU." @MANamongtsBOYS_

Wow. Here's another goody:

"I mean didn't Anna Burns Welker get everywhere in life because of her chest-just don't speak." @patrick_trouve

I'm sorry, since when were women not allowed to speak? The world is changing gentleman, we no longer have to fetch you a sandwich and "STFU" when we are upset. Good lord, the woman's only sin was bringing up the criminal case and expressing her opinion. A writer for the Boston Globe agrees: "She might have been ungracious, but that's still a healthier attitude for the sports wold than denial."

But in true lady like fashion, she apologized.

"I'm deeply sorry for my recent post on Facebook," she said. "I let the competitiveness of the game and the comments people were making about a team I dearly love get the best of me. My actions were emotional and irrational and I sincerely apologize to Ray Lewis and anyone affected by my comment after yesterday's game."

"It is such an accomplishment for any team to make it to the NFL playoffs, and the momentary frustration I felt should not overshadow the accomplishments of both these amazing teams."

Anna, you did nothing wrong. I applaud you. And I am sure other women can agree.

Thank you to the true role models in the NFL. We need more of you. 

Lucky girl. ;)

Midnight

"Night is purer than day; it is better for thinking, loving and dreaming. At night everything is more intense, more true. The echo of words that have been spoken during the day takes on a new and deeper meaning."

--Elie Wiesel, Dawn

Work It Out Wednesday: Dance Your Way to a Leaner Midsection

One of the dangers that many Americans face today is the overwhelming epidemic of obesity.  Weight gain is on the rise, and according to USA Today, many Americans simply carry too much weight in their midsection which can cause dangerous health problems! “People with wide girths are more likely to have large amounts of deep-hidden belly fat around their organs. It might be the most dangerous kind of fat and could increase a person’s risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.” Luckily, there are solutions to this epidemic. Robert Ross, an exercise physiologist at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, says that: “People with waists that wide need to reduce them immediately.”

So what should you do? Well for starters, diet and exercise! Although these two things sound easy, many Americans have a difficult time maintaining a healthy balance between the two. I hear it over and over again, “I get bored running on the treadmill”, “I don’t like going to the gym”, or “I need something that is fun and exciting”. My solution? Ballroom dancing! And here’s why:

• Ballroom dancing encourages good posture and body alignment.This will help strengthen your bodies core abdominal muscles. Believe it or not, having a strong core can improve your performance in everyday activities and improve your health! When you have a strong core, you reduce the risk of back injury, developing heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
• Ballroom dancing is a cardiovascular exercise that will get that heart pumping and will help you burn more calories! Did you know that depending on the step, ballroom dancing can burn anywhere from 250-400 calories an hour-about the same as a brisk half-hour walk on the treadmill! So if you are someone who hates the treadmill, get on that dance floor! You can burn calories while having FUN and blast away unwanted fat.
• Exercise is about rewarding the body with endorphins. Endorphins, scientifically speaking, are neurotransmitters produced in the brain that reduce pain and give you that feeling of euphoria. In other words, they make you feel good! Ballroom dancing is a wonderful way to trigger those endorphins.
• NO MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO-YOU ARE STILL LAPPING EVERYONE ON THE COUCH! Instead of watching re-runs on Netflix, get that booty on the dance floor!

Did I also mention how incredibly sexy ballroom dancing is? 

References:

MSNBC.COM: “Ballroom Dancing Puts the Swing in Exercise”

USATODAY.com: “Belly Full of Danger”

Ivillage.com: Endorphin 101: Your Guide to Natural Euphoria

Get Happy Tips: Buy Yourself Flowers!

As I was doing my grocery shopping this weekend, I couldn't help but stop and look at the beautiful bouquets of flowers displayed. Although, I wanted a bouquet of sunflowers I hesitated. After all, I can't buy flowers for myself...or can I? 

According to a study by Rutgers University, I should have! Flowers actually have a positive impact on your emotional well being, reduce depression, anxiety, and promote feelings of happiness.

My favorite flowers are lilacs, sunflowers, roses, and daisies. What are yours?

Moments

Image

"There are moments of such pure, sublime, unparalleled perfection that they will force you to close your eyes and hold on to them as best you can. Life is a series of these moments. Everything else is just waiting for them."

Iain Thomas