lifestyle

Let Your Word Be Your Guide!

January 14, 2021 By Rosie 3 Comments

Chances are, you might have ever so slightly slid or even slam dunk fallen off your recently created, best intended, new years resolution. Don’t worry, I’m not beating on you for it. As a matter of fact, according to U.S News & World Report, you’re with a lot of other people. The failure rate is 80%, and most lose their resolve by mid-February, which is exactly why I’ve got a solution to your broken resolution.

Several years ago, I resolved to end this ridiculous idea. Why would I set myself up knowing that the odds are massively against me?

I replaced it with a new practice called “Word Of The Year” or “WOTY”. It’s a kinder, gentler, and I would argue, more powerful change agent that keeps you going throughout the year — making remarkable changes in your growth and attitude.

What’s in a word ?

Your word represents an idea/ feeling that you continually rise up to. Your word is kept top and center of all your actions and decisions throughout the year. What’s cool is that your word adjusts to each particular situation and different circumstance that comes along in your life.

Why I chose my WOTY

Truth be told, my word this year was exactly that. TRUTH. It’s the word that kept coming to me and so I decided it would be given the place of honor for 2021. Once you see how my word will fit into my life, you’ll see for yourself how to uncover yours.

My WOTY reminds me that my focus and my goals all lead with truth. It means that I will choose truth, being always mindful that I speak my truth. That I know the ultimate truth, which enables me to further my relationship with God. That I will seek the truth and not be blindly led my news or gossip. That I will allow others to experience their truth without judgement or trying to talk them into mine.

Wow, right? I know, it’s so expansive. My word has deeper legs than any single resolution I could have made. It’s easier to navigate and keep working with. It’s fun because I can watch myself learn and grow from it and can apply it directly to each life scenario I encounter.

How to chose your WOTY

So here’s what you do.

First reflect on it –

You can do this by visualizing what your perfect day feels like. What is your morning routine, how do you feel while you are working, how do you feel throughout the day? Think of a feeling (what you would want your perfect day to feel like) and look at words that match your feeling. Make a list of the world that speak to you. For example you can make a list like this:

action, balance, integrity, health, simplicity, peace, creativity, grace, patience, joy, fun, focus, growth…

…you get the idea. Use your feelings and look up words that represent it. Words you can aspire to and have fun with. Circle 2-3 words that jump out to you.

Second meditate on it —

Place yourself in a relaxed state. Set the scene with soft music, candlelight. Close your eyes and let your intuition flow. Let it do the work. Which word will be yours this year? Ask yourself what feels right, exciting, even a little scary? (and don’t worry, you can pick 2 if you’re really fond of them) This is a great way to practice your intuitive guidance – so let it lead the way.

Why it works

It works because it’s simple. It’s doable and it’s actionable. It’s fun and easy to keep your word with you.

Here are 5 fun and effective ways to keep your word:

1) Post it – You can write it on a post it note and stick on your refrigerator, bathroom mirror and computer. I like to make it into a book more.

2) Book Mark it – This is my favorite. I cut a piece of pretty paper to bookmark size, write my word, decorate with images and laminate it. You can do this at staples or your can purchase your own laminator. Big tip: I bought a laminator years ago for this very project. You can turn this WOTY idea into an annual family new year project

3) Frame it – My daughter does this every year. She writes her word, and the definition along with it – so she’s super clear on her goal – puts her frame front and center in her home so she sees it everyday.

4) Bead it – One year I even made a beaded bracelet with those alphabet beads you can find at the craft store. This is super fun, because your arm is never far from you. If you don’t want to involve yourself in making your own, there are companies out that there will do this for you – check out ETSY.

5. Rock it – Paint your word on a rock. Use your rock as a paper weight for your dest or decoration for your dresser.

The point is you want to make your word your point.

Your WOTY is expansive. It has the meaning you give it and can be applied to all areas of your life – remember the example I showed you with my truth.

It becomes the foundation you build upon. Unlike a resolution which is specific and sometimes narrowly focused, your word grows with you. You’ll find it less restrictive and you won’t throw in the towel on it. You can use your word in your daily meditation journaling or as a mantra to keep you focused.

Don’t sweat that it’s not the beginning of a new year at this moment or that you need to wait for next new year’s eve to hit go. Right now is the perfect time to begin this fun new practice that will take you thru the rest of this year feeling focused and good about what you’re up to.

Your assignment if you choose to accept it – Keep your word and use your feet (aka take action).

Food Is Life

October 27, 2014 By Rosie 1 Comment

Some people live to eat. Some eat to live.

I find myself somewhere in the middle. If I am deep into an activity that I love, I forget to eat. And the rest of the time I love to eat.

Food is life. It’s constant, consistent, seasonal, driven by emotion, sweet, hot, spicy, tangy, soft and hard and on and on. Just like life.

Food is a great place to practice your game of life. Since you most likely eat close to 3 times during the day (or more – with a little extra picking, snacking and snitching), the opportunity to practice your life skills is in your fork.

How yum-azing is that?

Your plate allows you to practice these states of being. Given the “too many heavily loaded plates that you throw up in the air” of your crazy, busy life, there is lots of juicy, delicious stuff available for your tasting.

What if you started to use your meal time as a time of growth (not the weight gaining kind of growth)?

What if you started to approach your food in a different way?

Focusing on this idea of improving your state of being and how you feel will improve your relationship with your food, with your body and with your life.

Here are 12 feelings that may surface while you are eating. I’ve included an offer of how you can look at these terms in a different way in order to produce a different life experience.

Mindfulness – When you eat, sit down and eat. Be present to your food and and the experience you are having with it.
Gratitude – Bless the food you are putting into your healthy sexy body.
Grace – Start off your meal with a little grace, sit down, slow down, shut up for just one second. Listen up before diving in. Notice what is in front of you. Notice where your head is. Notice what your heart is saying.
Patience – If you are working on changing your weight, give it all the time it needs and just keep doing the right actions.
Decision – You are the only one making the decisions as to what goes on the end of your fork.
Discernment– sometimes a not so healthy choice is the best choice you can make at the time. Make it, know it was the best you could do and move on.
Judgement – Stop it. There are no wrong choices. Every choice has a consequence and therein lies your next step.
Right Thinking – Get our of your head and jump into your heart when it comes to how you treat yourself.
Self Love – Ask yourself before you eat, Is what I am eating for my best self?
Guilt – Don’t go there. Consider whatever you did or did’t do, “yum and done”.
Compassion – Be nice to yourself and respectful of your growth and learning process.
Love – You can fill this one in on your own.

SO eat up and taste the deliciousness that is your life.

Imagine getting all these delicious goodies and yummy benefits at every meal. A whole plate full of delicious sweetness of these lessons with no bad side effects.

The opportunity awaits your next meal. What will you choose to learn from what you put on your plate?

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13 Reasons Why Age Cannot Define You

October 6, 2014 By Rosie Leave a Comment

You’ve probably heard some of these and may be conditioned to thinking thoughts like these 3 AGE STOMPERS. But you may be more interested in the 13 reasons why age cannot define you that I have listed below.

“AT THIS AGE , I expect to have some pain, to be overweight, to be on medication for “something”, to be less active, to be less focused, to be more forgetful, to have less sex”.
Or “AT THIS AGE, I expect that it’s too late for me to start something new, too late to begin that business I always wanted to do, too late to find a caring loving partner”.
Or “AT THIS AGE, I’ve given up on having great sex, on having sex at all, on having a healthy body, on liking my body, on feeling sexy.

I don’t believe that age defines who you are or limits what you can do. In our society, we’ve set up age limitations as if there is a rule book on what you can no longer do after that “certain” point. People walk around living as if this lie is true.

I especially love this one, that I personally have experienced.

DOCTOR to me: What medications are you taking?

ME to Doctor: None.

DOCTOR to me. None? Nothing at all?

ME to Doctor: None.

DOCTOR to me. Wow, that is quite unusual. At your age, everyone’s on something.

ME: ((eye roll)) ((sigh))

That expectation that because I am 54 years old I should be on some kind of medication is part of a bigger problem than this blog can address. I’ll save that for the next time. I’ll admit there are times when the collective consciousness and the learned behaviors of our society around age sweeps me back in. Just the other day I was looking at my 73 year old dad, who works full time, takes public transportation to work, is doing construction of the addition to his house by himself, blasts loud music from speakers bigger than he is, keeps up on all the popular movies, has a love affair with his camera, performs a weight training routine daily, watches what he eats to keep his figure, has 3 girlfriends, and I had a thought.

“Maybe Dad should slow down. He is 73 after all”. UGH. Then I caught myself and remembered what was true. He’s living his live right now and nothing is going to stop him. Why should it. He lives like it time doesn’t matter. And he’s right. GO DAD, GO, GO, GO!!

And he’s not afraid to wear purple.

SO STOP.

STOP.

CLEARLY NONE OF THIS NONSENSE ABOUT AGE LIMITATION IS BASED IN TRUTH (unless of course you believe it is)

The truth is that “Miracles happen everyday and anything is possible. That is the truth. No matter what your age or stage.”

When people ask me how old I am, I really have to think about it. Because I really do forget. Most of my time is spent striving, reaching, releasing, relaxing, learning, growing, experimenting, experiencing, living, all without limits. None of these feelings are age definable.

When I do reveal my actual age in answer to the question, no one believes me anyway, including myself, (I’ve got to do the math on my fingers) so what’s the point of the question and wasting my time answering it.

I don’t think about it. I don’t let it stop me.

People often say to me, “You know how it is at this age”. This absolutely drives me nuts and I have absolutely no patience for a question of this sort. I not so politely send back, “I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT”.

As a matter of fact, I’m just not that interested. I am not interested in setting up limitations on what I can or cannot do at a “certain” age. Whether you argue that it’s age appropriate or age restrictive, you’ll get severe pushback from me. So let me share with you the 13 reasons why age cannot define you in the hope that one, some or all of these reasons will inspire you to think differently about your birth date. Here is what I choose to focus on and keep my interest in:

Amazing discoveries that come with years of experience, practice and lessons learned because I am wiser for them.
Feeling rockin’ awesome at every age and stage because I choose to.
Being the best I can be everyday because I intend it.
Knowing that my beauty comes from the inside because I’ve uncovered and discovered it.
Owning my thinner eye-lashes and thicker-waste with pride because they are part of me.
Pumping it at the gym because I love it.
Taking a daily nap because I like to.
Doing what I love every day because I want to.
Acting sexy because I am.
Feeling confident because I believe it.
Experiencing sacred connected empowering sex because it keeps me open, vulnerable , present and alive.
Walking into every room like it’s my party because I can.
Dressing sexy because I feel it.

**Feel free to borrow this list and repeat it often. It’s my gift to you. And the declarations at the end of the sentence will do wonders in helping you shift your focus to I am wise, I choose to, I intend it, I uncover and discover, I love, I like, I want, I am, I believe it, I’m open, vulnerable, present, alive, I can, I feel it. You feel that?

And if this isn’t enough, here is further proof of those who don’t give a crap when you serve the birthday cake. And a reminder to celebrate the unlimited spirit and possibility that awaits you right now at any and every age and stage.

(Click on the word to read about them).

BODY BUILDING Ernestine is 77! And her body rocks.

ART WORK Anna Mary did not pick up a brush until she was well into her eighth decade and became a famous artist.

COOKING Julia was 51 when she turned up the flame on her famous cooking show.

And these Luscious Ladies who created Advanced Living are rocking fashion and live to the fullest.

CLICK HERE TO SEE GET A GLIMPSE OF THESE GORGEOUS GODDESSES. Rockin’ woo hoo’s to these Goddess that inspire me with their fashion sense of self style, their passion for luscious living and their ownership of their awesomeness.

So now you can think for yourself and use these questions to lite some sparks to get you fired up.

WHERE IN YOUR LIFE ARE YOU LETTING AGE DEFINE YOUR BOUNDARIES?

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO EXPERIENCE BUT NEVER DID, YET?

Remember, it’s never to late to do what you’ve always wanted to do. Get on it and own your awesomeness,

Oh and here’s a little more of what 53 can be and what I think about ages and stages.

Episode 8: What’s Around Your Neck? Attitude.

September 11, 2014 By Rosie 1 Comment

What’s Around Your Neck? It’s your attitude that everyone sees. If you walk around feeling fat, everyone is going to notice your lack of confidence and your irritability. Once you begin the art and practice of self love and care, by eating better and loving from your heart, your body will show up differently.