Category: Health/Wellness

Stay Vibrant!

by amy155, posted in Beauty/Appearance/Style, Health/Wellness, Relationships

millie cruzat and amy

This is Millie Cruzat.  She’ll be 92 years young next month…and I mean YOUNG!!  You may have seen her on Chicago’s Windy City Live television show sharing her tips for living long and well.  She’s a former dancer and yoga enthusiast who can still do an awesome high kick, and wears her stilettos with ripped jeans!  She’s totally motivating.  Almost 30 years older than me!!  Her top longevity tips:  KEEP IT MOVING and BE POSITIVE!  Every time I see her I just have to hug her and stand in her energy.  I just love her.  Why?  Because she epitomizes Staying VIBRANT.  Seriously.

What is Vibrancy?  It’s the state of being full of energy and LIFE.   It’s exuberance, jazziness, vitality, robustness, cheerfulness, effervescence, friskiness…I could go on and on.  All I know is THAT’S how I want to be at 92 years old.

And I also know you can’t be that way at 92 if you don’t start being that way right now.  No matter what your age.  It’s a decision.

Every day we can decide how we want to be, how we want to feel and what we want to do.  I want to be vibrant, want to feel happy and want to eat right and exercise.   Who’s stopping me–NO ONE.  Who’s stopping you?

Let’s look at the alternative descriptive words if you’re not vibrant:  lifelessness, lethargy, apathy, laziness, spiritlessness, anemia, dullness–UGH!!!  Those words are not for me.  Will not claim them at all.

So how can we build Vibrancy into our lives every day?  Here are a few tips that have been working for me:

Daily meditation.  Drinking water when I first wake up–seems to flush out fogginess.  Doing some stretching to get my blood flowing.  Putting on workout clothes BEFORE getting coffee LOL.  Being grateful.  Going to bed at a decent hour.  Getting GOOD sleep.  Laughing–watching “Blackish” does it every time.  Connecting with people that you love.  Giving hugs.  Helping someone else.  Taking off my makeup before going to bed, no matter how tired I am.  Exfoliating regularly all over.  Standing up straight–Posture is powerful.  Dancing to my favorite songs all by myself.  Getting my hair done and seeing it look great as I pass by a mirror.  Pedicures, anyone?  Misting my one plant that has been growing for ten years, and seeing how water brings it to life.  Drinking LOTS of water–I found a snazzy and sleek bright turquoise thermos that keeps water cold for hours.  I add lemon slices to it after squeezing them for juice and it refreshes me all day.  Being creative and in the ZONE with my work.  Telling it like it is.  No time for foolishness–but learning and always trying to do so with compassion and empathy.  Finding out my favorite clothes fit better when I am FIT–instant wardrobe re-builder!

Again, I could go on and on.  So tell me what works for YOU!!  What do you do to stay vibrant??  Let’s get this list to be as long and creative as we can.  I’ll share your tips in a later post so we can all be like Millie at 92:

Slamming.  Slaying.  And Sizzling.  Go Millie!!

Looking forward to hearing your ideas.

 

Hugs,

Amy

 

 

 

 

Becoming Yourself

by amy155, posted in Health/Wellness, Relationships

I had the wonderful opportunity to see Michelle Obama on her book tour for Becoming.  It was simply amazing.

She posed the question to us all:  Who are You Becoming?  

amy becoming

To me, the answer is–Yourself.  As time goes on, it has gotten crystal clear to me that being true to yourself is the key to real happiness.  No one but you can decide what your passions are.  No one but you can decide to pursue them–or not.  No one can tell you what color should be your favorite, what book you will enjoy, what tastes good, what clothes you like, music you like jamming to, people you prefer–basically, what floats your boat.  

And once you realize the power in Becoming Yourself, confidence grows.  Trusting  your gut instincts becomes stronger.  You believe you can fly.  Why?  I think it’s because when you feel good about yourself, that radiates out to others.  The vibration of your positive internal energy can light fires of creativity, bring joy, and diffuse tensions.  When you know who YOU are, you inspire people to want to be around you and to help you direct you to your life’s purpose.   

What’s really gratifying though, is the fact that for many women–myself included, “Becoming Yourself” happens later in life.  It’s after you’ve been through some stuff.  Taken some hits.  Lost some battles, jobs, lovers, friends, family.  Then you wake up and realize, “Hey, I’m still here–still standing!”  And you become stronger knowing that you will not only survive, but thrive from the lessons learned in the trenches of becoming who you are. 

When you are grounded in who you are, it’s easier to let things go, as well as stand up for what you believe.  There’s a nuanced balance in doing that.  Every fight isn’t worth the battle.  Yet, letting things slide to “keep the peace” isn’t necessarily the best path either.  How do you know which fork in the road toward becoming yourself to take?  Experience. 

Experience is one of the best teachers of discernment.   And discernment is the art of knowing when to stop, go, release, run, walk, talk, be silent, listen, laugh or cry through any given situation for the best possible outcome.   Experience teaches discernment, and with strong discernment muscles, wisdom can grow and thankfully, be shared.  

I am absolutely loving growing older and experiencing the benefits of wisdom.  It feels so good to have an increasingly accurate inner compass to direct my thoughts, actions, behaviors and decisions based on lessons learned over the years. 

Becoming Yourself is a true blessing.   It’s a never ending process too, Thank God.  One of my favorite sayings is “As long as I can look up, I can get up.”  I can get my mind up and body moving.  Even when my body won’t cooperate, I hope my mind will still be able to, allowing me to keep on keeping on–growing and Becoming Myself!

How about you?  Are you Becoming Yourself this year? 

That’s a good resolution to have.

See you next week.

Hugs, Amy

Being Healthy is My Legacy

by amy155, posted in Beauty/Appearance/Style, Health/Wellness, Relationships

Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone for your very kind calls, texts, cards and prayers on the passing of my beloved Mom last month.  As I continue to miss my Mom dearly, one lesson she taught me was to stay active.  Mom used to walk three miles every day with one of her girlfriends in her 50’s.  I remember her telling me of how great that made her feel.  She loved to dance, and was incredibly flexible even in her 90’s.

So, like many of you, I’ve re-committed to my health for the New Year and beyond with some motivation from my Mom.  Here’s a photo of me headed out to the gym…and here’s my Mom doing Yoga at about 90 and when she was visiting me in Chicago at 88 years old, getting ready to hit the pool!  A former acrobatic performer in her teens, Mom loved to swim also.

mom and me working out

As 2019 begins, my thoughts remain grounded in the legacy my Mom left me and so many others.  A key one, is that health means everything.   I saw this vibrant, brilliant, energetic, accomplished woman deal with thyroid issues, female issues, Stage 1 breast cancer, diabetes and most painfully, dementia.   She worked hard to maintain her health, but the stress of caregiving for my Dad full time for seven years finally began to take its toll on her health.  Once he passed, her health started to become impacted.  Caregivers pay a big price to care.

I am so glad that I am healthy, an able to exercise and eat foods that are good for me (with the occasional cheat day or treat)!  This is a blessing not to be taken for granted.  I want you all to make the commitment to move more, eat better and relieve your stress.  We can stay vibrant and sizzle for a long time if we do!

What does it take?  Not a lot, really.  The winter in Chicago so far has been pretty mild, so go out for a quick walk.  Hurry up, though, because we all know the snow and cold blast will come!  Stretch when you get up.  Drink lots of water.  Get a small set of hand weights and use them.  I gave Mom a set at 92, and she’d use them when guided.  Go dancing!  Get into the gym at your building if you have one, or invest in yourself by joining a gym to use their equipment and see others there with the same goals–it’s inspiring.

Eating better can be phased into your lifestyle.  It takes making the decision to do so.  More green veggies, less sweets, less red meat, smaller portions.   Yes, the holidays had lots of delectable temptations…but now it’s time to re-set your taste buds.

Here’s the challenge, though…not to let January be the only month you stick to your goals.  Stick to your Life instead!  I know what I’m sharing is not new.  But I can tell you, seeing my Mom flexible, wearing high heels and in relatively good physical health in her 90’s has inspired me!  She Sizzled All The Way!!

So Sizzlers, let’s GOOOO!  Looking good is nice, but FEELING good is the best!

Hugs,

Amy

 

 

 

 

Cherish the Time – For Real

by amy155, posted in Health/Wellness, Relationships

As Christmas approaches, I’m reflecting on the fabulous Thanksgiving holiday full of food, family, laughter and love that I had with my family. It was crystal clear to me that times like this are to be cherished.  Moments of happiness aren’t to be taken for granted, because in a heartbeat life can permanently change.  Accidents, sickness, fires, storms–all can change the trajectory of the best laid plans.  So, I’m truly focusing on the things that feel good, people who mean a lot and where I choose to spend my time.

How many times have we thought, “There’s always tomorrow?”  Well, sometimes there isn’t.

mom-in-red-and-girls-thanksgiving-20181

Mom and Us – Thanksgiving 2018

This is a shot of my Mom, Gwen Hilliard, two of my sisters Gloria and Wendy and my niece Amina as we headed out to dinner at a restaurant for the first time for Thanksgiving.  For 20 years, I was the CFO…the Chief Food Officer of our annual Thanksgiving reunion of over 30 people…Whew!  My daughter Angelica is now the CFO, after I “let go of the spoon”–LOL.  But this year, she had to work, and I wasn’t coming out of retirement to cook!  So at the urging of my cousin Adele, I suggested kindly but directly, that we had to try something new.  So off we went to Sullivan’s in Baltimore and had a great time.

We cherished every moment of Thanksgiving week.  Making ComfortCake with my grand-nieces; Angelica in fact cooking on Friday so the crowd would have leftovers, including her now famous Macaroni and Cheese–(she took my recipe and made it her own).  My now-towering nephews eating everything in sight, and my newest 4-month-old grand-nephew stealing all hearts.  My Mom would sit with us in the kitchen as we laughed over family stories, debated the latest political situations and I tried my best to learn the Flossing dance (I need a LOT more practice).  In sum, we had a blast and Mom didn’t want to miss the fun!

Then, a week after Thanksgiving, my 94-year-old Mom was rushed to the hospital.  She has advanced dementia.  We weren’t sure what was wrong, but she was slurring her speech and was in pain.  Was it a stroke?  We were all on high alert, as at her age and frailty, anything could happen.

And that’s what inspired this post.  As I paced the floor back in Chicago awaiting word of Mom’s status, the fact that we were all together for Thanksgiving took on intense meaning.  It could be my Mom’s last.  We had to Cherish The Time.

While I was in Baltimore, I spent time with Mom as her primary caregiver, as Jessie, our beloved caregiver for Mom spent time with her family for the holiday.  It was tough work; but I cherished the opportunity to do it.  There were times when Mom just loved being hugged, and I loved hugging her.  To think that a few days later that opportunity might be gone forever in an instant–it was truly sobering.

All I can share is that please, tell those you love that you love them.  Spend TIME with them.  It is the one thing that can never be replaced.  Time will march on no matter what.  Don’t let small things become big things that keep love away.  It just isn’t worth it.  Forgive and move on to Cherish The Time that you can share.

This year, I’ve lost three close mentees/friends/mentors.  Chef Judson Allen, 36.  Ken Smikle, 66, Barry Rand, 74.  All gone too soon.  The blessing that I am most grateful for though, is that I cherished the times with them.  Texts, smiles, dinners, emails, hugs.  They knew I loved them, and that they were important to my life.

And on December 10, 2018, I lost my beloved Mom. She passed painlessly in her sleep; she had told me several times recently that she wanted to go home and be with my Dad. As I go through moments of deep sadness mixed with moments of joyful remembrance, I am blessed with the knowledge that she truly earned her wings. Her positive spirit touched everyone she encountered. A trailblazing, globe-trotting pioneer, Gwen Hilliard was an educator, entrepreneur and community servant. She raised us to be women of God, women of family, and women who use our gifts. Mom had a long, vibrant, beautiful life, and I am so very grateful that she knew how much I loved her and that I will cherish her always.

Time is important.  Cherish It.

See you next week.

Hugs,

Amy

 

 

Cherish The Time

by amy155, posted in Health/Wellness, Relationships

There’s a universal law that never changes…time marches on.  

As I’ve just had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday full of food, family, laughter and love, it was crystal clear to me that times like this are to be cherished.  Moments of happiness aren’t to be taken for granted, because in a heartbeat life can permanently change.  Accidents, sickness, fires, storms–all can change the trajectory of the best laid plans.  So, I’m truly focusing on the things that feel good, people who mean a lot and where I choose to spend my time.

How many times have we thought, “There’s always tomorrow?”  Well, sometimes there isn’t.  

  •                                    Mom and Us – Thanksgiving 2018

This is a shot of Mom, two of my sisters Gloria and Wendy and my niece Amina as we headed out to dinner at a restaurant for the first time for Thanksgiving.  For 20 years, I was the CFO…the Chief Food Officer of our annual Thanksgiving reunion of over 30 people…Whew!  My daughter Angelica is now the CFO, after I “let go of the spoon”–LOL.  But this year, she had to work, and I wasn’t coming out of retirement to cook!  So at the urging of my cousin Adele, I suggested kindly but directly, that we had to try something new.  So off we went to Sullivan’s in Baltimore and had a great time.  

We cherished every moment of Thanksgiving week.  Making ComfortCake with my grand-nieces; Angelica in fact cooking on Friday so the crowd would have leftovers, including her now famous Macaroni and Cheese–(she took my recipe and made it her own).  My now-towering nephews eating everything in sight, and my newest 4-month-old grand-nephew stealing all hearts.  My Mom would sit with us in the kitchen as we laughed over family stories, debated the latest political situations and I tried my best to learn the Flossing dance (I need a LOT more practice).  In sum, we had a blast and Mom didn’t want to miss the fun!

Then, a week after Thanksgiving, my 94-year-old Mom was rushed to the hospital.  She has advanced dementia.  We weren’t sure what was wrong, but she was slurring her speech and was in pain.  Was it a stroke?  We were all on high alert, as at her age and frailty, anything could happen.

And that’s what inspired this post.  As I paced the floor back in Chicago awaiting word of Mom’s status, the fact that we were all together for Thanksgiving took on intense meaning.  It could be my Mom’s last.  We had to Cherish The Time.

While I was in Baltimore, I spent time with Mom as her primary caregiver, as Jessie, our beloved caregiver for Mom spent time with her family for the holiday.  It was tough work; but I cherished the opportunity to do it.  There were times when Mom just loved being hugged, and I loved hugging her.  To think that a few days later that opportunity might be gone forever in an instant–it was truly sobering.

All I can share is that please, tell those you love that you love them.  Spend TIME with them.  It is the one thing that can never be replaced.  Time will march on no matter what.  Don’t let small things become big things that keep love away.  It just isn’t worth it.  Forgive and move on to Cherish The Time that you can share.  

This year, I’ve lost three close mentees/friends/mentors.  Chef Judson Allen, 36.  Ken Smikle, 66, Barry Rand, 74.  All gone too soon.  The blessing that I am most grateful for though, is that I cherished the times with them.  Texts, smiles, dinners, emails, hugs.  They knew I loved them, and that they were important to my life.  

I am so very grateful that my Mom is doing better.  That she is still here.  That she knows I love her and cherish her.  

It is so worth the time.  Cherish It.

See you next week.

Hugs, 

Amy

 

The Power of Gratefulness

by amy155, posted in Health/Wellness, Relationships

As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, it’s a good time for reflection on Gratefulness.

affection appreciation decoration design
Photo by Carl Attard on Pexels.com

I’m so grateful and thankful for God’s grace.  Family and friends are gathering to share bonds of love.  So much is happening in the world today that could be otherwise for me, you and countless others.  The daily news lets us all know but for the grace of God go we.

Even so, we sometimes don’t focus on that, right?  Have you ever been in a bad mood?  Didn’t know how to shift out of it?  I have.  Gotta be honest…sometimes it feels good to stay mad, frustrated, to call your BFF and vent about it.  “I can’t BELIEVE she did that.  He makes me SOOO mad when he does this.  Traffic is a MESS!”  And on and on.  If you take a moment in those times and feel how your body is responding, it could alert you to take a different tack.  Your heart is racing, forehead is creased, breathing is rushed…Hmmm.  Definitely NOT Sizzling.  Or worse, could be lighting a fire when dousing it is a better solution.

Well, I’ve found that finding something to be grateful in any and all situations can be the solution.  We’ve all heard this before.  “Find the good.  There’s a lesson to be learned.  There’s a silver lining.”  In the middle of frustration, though, those positives may be hard to get to.

Here’s what I’m learning to more consistently do.  Keep it simple.  Be grateful.  Just. Be. Grateful.  Grateful to be able to breathe.  To walk, talk and chew gum at the same time.

Let me share how this came home for me.  I’ve shared this with some of you.  In 1988, my cousin Brett, who was like a sister to me, was killed in a car accident.  Her parents were devastated, and needed my help.  I jumped on a plane to LA.  My aunt, Brett’s Mom, took me directly to the wig shop to get a wig as Brett went through the windshield, and her beautiful long hair was lost.  The next stop was the funeral home, where I had to go downstairs with the mortician.  Never went downstairs before…and I proceeded to comb the wig on Brett while he put her face back together.  Whew.  That’s when I really knew what it meant to be dead.  I had an out of body experience and told Brett to get up ’cause we were outta there!  But she couldn’t.  I realized then that… As long as I could look up, I could get up.

I started saying that to my kids all the time.  My son Nick now has that tattooed on his arm.   And that is powerful.

I’m truly grateful for the ability to be able to just look up.  When you look up, things instantly can feel better.  Heart calms down.  Mind slows down.  A smile can be found.  Appreciation can increase.  And that’s the power of gratefulness.  Because when people, things or situations threaten your well-being, turning on the grateful switch changes your energy.  It can be felt immediately.  I find it can give a boost to my thinking, and propel me in a better direction.  Gratefulness is juice energy, and tapping into your juice is always amazing.  I’m learning that the energy we embrace not only affects me, but everyone around me.  It attracts good things and brings out good energy in others.

So, as we get ready to celebrate the holidays and beyond, I’ll be keeping that Grateful Switch ON!  

How about you?  What are your grateful for?  How has being grateful changed your life?

Have a Happy Turkey Day!

Hugs,

Amy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stretch Yourself – Good for Your Body and Mind

by amy155, posted in Beauty/Appearance/Style, Health/Wellness, Relationships, Wellness/Self Love

Amy and Lydia 2018

This summer I hurt my shoulder, and couldn’t lift heavy weights.  I had to adjust my fitness routine to a different pace.  One of my BFFs from grade school days, Lydia, came to visit, and she’s a yoga enthusiast at 65.  Looks great.  During her visit, she got on the floor and stretched for 15 minutes every day, then meditated.  I thought “Hmmm.  That’s doable and looks like it feels great!”

So I started that regimen, and let me tell you—it’s powerful and effective.

Stretching Did You Know

As we age, our muscles and joints do also.  They are stiffer than they used to be.  But, with stretching, they can stay lubricated and working well for us.

There’s a new app coming soon called http://www.westretch.ca.  While we wait on this app with daily stretch routines, here’s an article highlighting  “9 Stretching Benefits Women Over 40 Should Know”  https://westretch.ca/9-stretching-benefits-women-over-40-should-know/

They include:  1) reducing stress, 2) opening up the body’s muscles and increasing blood flow, 3) stretched muscles become your new normal, 4) a stretching routine can elevate your exercise performance, 5) it reduces overuse injuries, 6) benefits nearly all parts of your body, 7) fights age-related stiffness, 8)improves your flexibility and 9) when consistent, stretching improves the total way you move.  

I’ve felt ALL of these benefits since stretching daily.  It’s amazing–takes only 10-15 minutes, can be done anywhere and truly is a great way to start the day.

And then, adding 10-15 minutes on meditation–WOW.  By calming my mind, I stretch my mind and my possibilities.  I know, I know.  Many of you say you can’t meditate.  I was there too.  It didn’t work when I had to chant or hum.  That may work for some.  For me, when I read that all you have to do is sit quietly for a set amount of time (I use the timer on my iPhone) and let your thoughts roll by…well, that I could do.

Meditation stretches your mind by clearing out stuff.  It’s like when you have too many windows open on your computer, it slows down.  It’s like trying to see clearly on a foggy day.  You have more clarity when the fog lifts.  When I’ve cleared my mind for the day, all sorts of new ideas have room to pop in, and they do!  It also sets a positive tone for the day, as I’m not focused on negativity.

Stretching your body and your mind is a wonderful way to lubricate your well-being on a daily basis.   Far too often, the alarm goes off, and we hop on our phones, checking email,  responding to it, turning on the news and letting all kinds of stories fill your mind, and…we are off to the races!

By taking a few minutes to tune in to your body, then clearing your mind, you can take your energy and productivity to a whole different level.  Trust me, it feels SIZZLING afterward!

It’s so simple.  Sometimes, the most simple things can be the most powerful.

Hugs, Amy

Amy BW Outfit 9-18

Press On!

by amy155, posted in Finances/Entrepreneurship, Health/Wellness

SA60 11-7-18 post pic Silver vestAs I reflect on the results of the mid-term elections, I felt compelled to share a poem I wrote over twenty years ago.  I wrote it when a friend came over after a devastating break up.  And some of the losses last night were very hard to accept.  But sometimes in life, we have to accept what happened, celebrate the good, look ahead and

PRESS ON!

PRESS ON, ALTHOUGH THE ROAD IS ROCKY

PRESS ON, THROUGH RIVERS OF DOUBT

PRESS ON WHEN “NO” SEEMS TO GREET YOU OFTEN

JUST SMILE AND SIMPLY PRESS ON

PRESS ON WHEN OTHERS TRY TO STOP YOU,

EVEN WHEN THEIR HEARTS ARE TRUE

PRESS ON TO SHARE YOUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS

BECAUSE GOD MADE ONLY ONE YOU!

 

That’s it for today — PRESS ON!

Hugs,

Amy

Reinvention is a Choice. 

by amy155, posted in Beauty/Appearance/Style, Finances/Entrepreneurship, Health/Wellness

dawn sunset beach woman
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 Are you considering a major change in your life?  It can seem daunting.  Should I start that business?  Move to another city?  Try a different career?

Well, you are reinventing yourself. Like a caterpillar shedding it’s skin in order to emerge as a butterfly, we shed our skins several times at different stages of life. I remember when I became a mother. A totally new life for me. I had to re-invent who Amy was. All of my ambitions, goals and desires had to be re-calibrated because I now was responsible for another life.  But re-calibrated–not eliminated.

What was challenging was not only to re-think who I was, but also not to LOSE who I was in the process.  It wasn’t easy.  I’ve always been ambitious. Sold homemade perfume from petals in my mother’s rose garden at 10. I’ve had paying work since I was 13 years old, so working was in my DNA.

I was not in a position to be a stay-at-home Mom. That didn’t bother me, as my role model, my mother, always worked. I saw her re-invent herself from a nurse, to an entrepreneur, to a college grad, then a math and science teacher who went on to get a graduate degree. And she did all this reinventing AFTER having four children. So, I grew up thinking women could work and be a mother. And that’s what I did. I continued to work, have a corporate career, became an entrepreneur, and still relished motherhood. Wife-hood didn’t work out as well…but that’s another post.  Lessons learned.

Mom and me in NY

What I understand now and didn’t then, is how much COURAGE it took for my mother to re-invent herself. It took tremendous courage for her to pursue her ambitions in the 1950’s and 60’s. She recognized what her spirit was saying she needed to manifest…she didn’t ignore it. How often we IGNORE what our inner spirit is saying to us! We ignore at times due to fear. Yet, if you tell fear to step aside, you can take the time to go within to make some important decisions.

Choosing to re-invent requires introspection and action. During those introspective times, don’t let your thoughts go down a path of regret. “I wish I had tried X.”  Well, it’s not too late! Don’t waste time in What If-Ville. “What if I try X and this happens. What if I don’t try?”  Time will march on either way, so choose to move from thinking about re-invention to taking steps to do it. All of a sudden, your energy to achieve shifts–and your mind becomes freer to create a new reality for yourself.

You start jumping into your day, buoyed by the KNOWING that you are getting into alignment with your gifts. Wow. When this happens to me, it’s like having a mind orgasm. Ha!

We can CHOOSE TO RE-INVENT. It can be an exciting journey, even when you can’t see the end of the trip. Take action on your dreams. Don’t waste moments on things that shift your energy into a negative place. Click on your mind app that says ONWARD AND UPWARD!

It’s never to late to SIZZLE!   Talk to you next week.  Hugs, Amy

sunset beach people sunrise
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 

Tap Into Your Juice

by amy155, posted in Beauty/Appearance/Style, Finances/Entrepreneurship, Health/Wellness, Relationships

blue clouds color danger
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It’s interesting.  This process of Sizzling.  To me, it is so much more than how I look.  It’s how I feel about my life, and the many aspects of it.  You see, there’s is so much to live for.  It’s about consistently making the decision to step toward the good.  Step toward God’s gifts inside of you.

I wrote a guidebook, called Tap Into Your Juice – How to Find Your Gifts, Lose Your Fears and Build Your Dreams some 14 years ago.  In it’s 4th printing.  Endorsed by Michelle Obama.  It’s based on ten principles–my 10 P’s–philosophies I live by.  The first is Believing in Possibilities.  I’ve found that if you have a dream, a vision, a goal–even if you’ve never done it, if it is on your heart to do, try or become–well, it was put there for a reason.  Keep walking toward it.  Your belief is your energy source–align to it.  No matter what your age.

I still read TAP myself.  They say the teacher sometimes is the one needing the lessons.  Ha! Well, that would be me.  When life throws a curve, I go back to my 10 P’s.  Feel free to check them out…get it in ebook/Kindle form on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tap-into-your-juice/id1099926182?mt=11 –or Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Tap-Into-Your-Juice-Dreams-ebook/dp/B01LWRR58J.  Paperback copies are coming back soon!

You see, to me, your Juice is the energy of your gifts–the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional vibrancy that gives you the momentum to accomplish anything.  And since our gifts are uniquely individual, your Juice can be too.  Tapping into it is a way of plugging into your smarts, strength, creativity, courage, resolve and resiliency to move forward through fear to build your dreams.

I had fears about starting this blog!  As the posts show, it’s not my first time.  Life happened.  You run hard and and the currents can be rough.  But I’ve found that turning within to align with the intuitive guidance we all have been given is energizing.  It’s like putting your boat in the river in the direction of the currents–your currents.  Learning to believe in and trust what feels right to you is a process.  But guess what?  When you get into the rhythm of it, the possibilities start coming.

Don’t fight the feeling!  Go with your gut.  Have less fight and more right with yourself and see what happens.  You’ll figure out the logical stuff.

And actually, as I’ve gotten older, this is becoming easier to do.  It’s freeing to realize that you can connect right into higher levels of energy.  Click on to it like an app–it’s electric!  It’s a mindset.   Be your OWN lottery ticket.

When negativity pulls, I remember to start tapping and Stand in My Power–my God-given gifts and shift my energy into gear.  I want the possibilities of a vibrant life, so I’m believing they are mine to have.  What about you?

Tap Into Your Juice.  Try it.

Let me know how that works for you, OK?

And as always–SIZZLE ON!

Sending Hugs,

Amy