Only Homemade for Me

Last night I made a brownie mug cake from scratch and it reminded me of a health presentation I watched a few years ago.  The presenter actually made the suggestion that I will give to you today.

Only eat sweets that you have made from scratch.

This has less to do with creating healthy desserts as it does the action of making desserts. Most times we buy things that are fast and convenient. Stores and restaurants have sweets all ready for us. However, if you make it a point to only eat sweets that you yourself have made you will probably eat less. Why? Hopefully, not because you stink at cooking; but rather,because, who has time to make all of that? If I want a brownie sundae, I would need to spend time making the brownie (not a box recipe) and the ice cream. All that stirring, baking, mixing, freezing and so on and so forth would probably burn a lot of mental calories if nothing else and to be honest it wouldn’t be worth it every day or as often as you might indulge if you were taking the easy way out and buying it already made.

Two things this little change forces you to do find quick desserts that are easy and healthy to create or deter you from the process all together.  Sweets are fun and believe me I love them but this little tip will hopefully help you to tame your consumption without restricting you from having them. It makes them much more of a reward and treat if you have put the time and effort into making them for yourself.

Happy People Don't Shoot Their Husbands

Hello everybody and welcome to the March Sunshine Challenge.

I know I didn’t put out my monthly invitation announcement but it is on the calendar. So our March challenge is all about being more aware of our health. You will still need a journal because I am all about journaling through life. So find a journal that speaks to you or if you haven’t finished any of the others you have used for previous challenges go back to those.  You can use your journal to keep track of your progress in this challenge or you can write about your struggles and triumphs through this month as they relate to your health.

Our goal this month is to introduce small things, activities that will help to improve your health. I know most people choose January as the month to really start their health journey, but that is just so cliché. Plus all of those people should be out of the gym by now, leaving more room for the rest of us to get in there.    I’m not suggesting that we all start going to the gym and becoming hardcore athletes but if that is your choice this month go for it. What I will do each day is offer a small challenge or option for you to try for the day.  Our main goal is to always to have a positive and peaceful outlook on life. So this month we will see how taking care of our bodies can help with that.

Take a little time in your journal today to write about your ideal health scenario. Would you like to be more muscular? Or more hydrated? Is getting more rest important to you or adding more activity into your day? Do you want to be more flexible or do you want to eat better? Take as much time as you need to think about those things and give yourself a goal. They say when you write down your goals you are much more likely to attain them. 

So what is your goal? It’s time to achieve it.

We All Need Reminders

This morning was rough.

I was tired and sore. I was running behind. My car was frozen. I got to the office and I couldn't quite get it together. I had meetings that I just was having trouble with and it was not looking too good for my shine. My light was dimming by the second.

But then, somebody asked me what I love today. She helped me try to refocus. Coincidentally she has been exposed to the shine and is apart of our group. So what did I learn today. One, unfortunately for me every once in awhile, I just might not be the Suzy Sunshine that I desire to be. And two, if I have shared enough love and sunshine with others, they will have it for me when I need it.

So for the next few days, focus on who you are sharing your love and positive energy with. Take some time every day to let a little light shine for someone else. You never know when you will need it back.

Share the Love

I thought I had a good plan for this month's challenge focus, but for the last few days I just keep getting the message to Share the Love. I even saw it on a commercial today, while at lunch in Applebee's. If that isn't a message from above I don't know what is. So I will be obedient and share love with you and I hope that you will join me in sharing the love beyond our group.

First let's talk about our daily practice. If you were apart of our group last year you may remember this challenge. Each day in your journal you will make a list of things that you love. Since this is the month of February, let's make the list 28 items long daily. You don't need to go into detail about the items on the list unless you feel led to do so. Also, you can list anything that you love. They can be items that you own, places you've been, things you are grateful for. Really just list things that you love and appreciate.

Last year when I did this challenge my son also got involved. He knew when I was journaling and often times asked to add things to the list. So eventually when we were riding out in the morning it just became our time of reflection of things that we loved. As a part of our practice this month, share this experience with others. Maybe you can get a child, sibling, spouse or friend to try this with you. Focus on things you love and then share those thoughts and ideas with each other. It really beats sharing all the things that you dislike about life, and helps you to focus on more positive thoughts.

Aside from our daily journaling practice we will also have a some regular FB posts about other ways we can share love for the month of February. I hope that you all will enjoy this month and look forward to sharing the love!

I love Me!!!

So I am sitting here tonight jamming out to some Meghan Trainor. My Fitbit says I should be going to bed, but I really wanted to write to my lovely sunshines today and just got caught up in the business of the day. Then when I finally got a minute to express my love for you my PC decides to have a personal battle with the internet. So while they are not on speaking terms I can at least write in my word processing program. Hopefully they will reconcile and I can once again share my thoughts with you.

Anyhow the month of February is associated with many things. Most notably, Black History and Valentine's Day!!! For us, the whole month is about love, love, love.  (Side note if you like to dance, you should really listen to some Megan Trainor, I feel groovy and empowered all rolled into one. )

Back to our loving experience. Our first days are all about loving self. When you can love yourself, you become a much better lover of others. When we are critical of ourselves we struggle with how to be open and honest. Openness and honesty are qualities that help to build the most meaningful and strongest relationships.

Today take sometime to list 28 things about you
that you love. They may be physical attributes or skills and abilities that you possess, but take the time to think about it and write it out. The process will be empowering and then whenever someone tries to steal your shine from this day forward you will have this list to keep your light shining bright.

Second Chances

I am truly blessed to have people in my life who will tell me when I have made a mistake, because it means they care enough to see me improve.

When children make mistakes we usually comfort them and tell them to try again. We work with what they know and help them to gain more knowledge. The goal is to keep helping them improve. However, as adults we give ourselves and each other much less leniency when it comes to not being perfect. For some reason there is an age where everyone is no longer allowed to make mistakes without being ridiculed for them.

Our goal for today is to learn to be grateful for our mistakes instead of frustrated or angry. Our mistakes open our eyes to things that we can change and learn for the better. In the book, “The Magic” the author Rhonda Byrne uses the example of being pulled over by the police. More often than not we are more upset with the police for pulling us over than grateful for the fact that they raised our awareness of the lack of concern for our safety and others on the road.

Today, consider a mistake that you have made and find ten reasons to be grateful for that mistake. This would look like a list of things that you learned from the outcome of the mistake.  Hopefully by taking the time to appreciate you lessons you will also decrease your likelihood of making that same mistake in the future. 

We are ONE

I am grateful today that I understand oneness, because I know that I have the power to effect change for my fellow man. 

Lately in the news we are bombarded by all of the division our world is experiencing. There is political division, color division, gender and sexuality, and division of nations. Everyone seems to want to have distinction in who they are, but these distinctions simply bring about more and more discrimination. It seems the one thing we are forgetting is that no matter what distinctions we ascribe to we are all still have something in common, our humanity.

Regardless of our differences we are all one. In many spiritual and religious traditions they discuss the concept of oneness, but often the oneness is only including those who believe in their particular teaching. The truth is belief in traditions or not no one is exempt from the oneness that we just naturally have.

So what does that mean? That means that you have the power to effect change in yourself and others through your understanding of oneness. This concept is a bit hard to try to explain in a short blog post. But here goes. When you encounter, people in your life that are struggling you have choices in how to help them. You can give them advice. You can leave them alone and let them figure it out. You can pray for them. Or your can help them. But, I bet you didn't know that you could effect change in their experience.

It may sound crazy, but when you feel and understand the concept of oneness, you realize that we all have the opportunity to change the life of others. Oneness means that if a brother or sister is hurting, you are also affected because they are a part of you. They are not separate from you. When you truly understand this you will be able to start feeling gratitude for the positive experiences of others because you realize the connection you have with them. When you begin to feel gratitude for their positive experiences you will start to see the lives of those around you start to improve as much as your own.

For today, your goal is to practice feeling gratitude for the well being of others. Choose three people in your life. Imagine them as happy and healthy. You may not know exactly what they want out of life but you do know that you are connected with them as you are with everyone. Feel the gratitude of being blessed by your connection to them. The more you acknowledge blessings for them and ultimately yourself, the more you will see change.