Eight Easy Steps to help create new you…inside and out!
by Shari Phillips

Every year I vow never to make another New Year’s resolution that I know I cannot keep (I tend to be over zealous in my expectations). Two years ago I made a healthy resolution and stuck with it and wow, did that change my life. Then 2011 came around and I slumped back into my indifference and did I pay for that decision. Now that 2012 is here, my body yearns for the regimentation that was so successful when I made that commitment to myself.  So I give you this thought to examine: Do you really believe that you can be a happier, healthier, more successful and beautiful you? Take a moment to ponder this one, it’s very important. Before you can achieve these goals, you must have faith in your own willpower to get you there. Only then can you submit to a new life process and reap the benefits. I have decided again that yes, I can challenge myself and be successful, so I am going to share with you the strategies I used back then, and will use again this time around.

Surround yourself with nurturing rituals. Establish a well-rounded network of coaches, mentors, or personal trainers who can help you stay on course. Remember the phrase, “it takes a village to raise a child”? Going it alone leaves you feeling like you’re always fighting uphill battles. The load is always easier when shared and always exciting when you have a cheering section. Explore regular meditation and keep a daily journal. When I first started to meditate I went immediately to sleep. As I gained momentum in my journey to healthier living, I found my breathing technique and learned how to use it to manage stress, improve sleep and center myself during a busy day. Also, I purchased a notebook and recorded my days,  uncovering connections between what I ate and how I felt, noting times of the day when I needed to practice breathing exercises to improve my path.  It also became a tool that I would record data to share with my healthcare provider.

Get acquainted with aromatherapy. Whether it comes in the remembered scent of a flower-filled garden where you played as a child or baking bread, we all know the transporting and transcending powers of these familiar, happy smells. One whiff and our minds take us away from our current cares and concerns, back to our warmest and happiest moments. This powerful, transporting experience is the basis for the magic of aromatherapy. By exposing ourselves to plant and flower essences that arouse nurturing feelings in us, we can manipulate our brain chemistry to affect our behavior in a positive way. I found using aromatherapy in my hot bath every night helped to ease me into a gentle sleep.

Humor. Is there anything better than a child’s laughter? I feel totally rejuvenated after one of those belly laughs and I love the contagious laughter to lift my spirits. Try using this technique, when you answer your telephone, smile while you say hello. Note the positive reaction from the individual on the other end of the phone. Think back to a group you may have encountered when you just had to smile because you were drawn in to their laughter.

Listen to Emily Dickinson and practice healthy skin care.  As Emily Dickinson wrote, “Beauty is not caused. It is.” Youthful, healthy, radiant skin, these are all things we wish for. We can achieve them-by nurturing our skin properly, by promoting a clean environment, by being as peaceful as we can be, and by getting in touch with our own individual beauty and style. Beauty is closely related to the health of the mind and body, and to the conditions of our surroundings. When our health is weak, when we are stressed out, or when we are exposed to too many harmful pollutants, it shows on our faces. Use plant based, non-petrochemical cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, hair and body products and make-up and let your healthy living and hard work shine!

Incorporate massages into your weekly schedule. There is evidence that massaging promotes healing in many ways. It helps our bodies’ many systems to release toxins, increase blood flow, and deliver nutrients to all parts of the body. The soothing touch it involves helps us to feel connected and loved. I try and schedule mine at the end of my day thereby taking full advantage of the relaxation both mentally and physically.

Exercise. Yoga, tai chi, Pilates and aerobics whatever you like.  When we were children, we didn’t mind exercising. Most of us considered it “playing”: riding bikes, swimming, running, etc. and, as a result, it had a buoyant effect on our spirits. It’s probably a good idea to reconnect to that playful spirit before we approach a new exercise program especially those of us who approach it with dread. The benefits are abundant. We increase our heart rate and our immunity, raise our metabolism, manage our weight, lower our blood pressure, release stress and toxins, tone our muscles, strengthen the connection among mind, body, and spirit, prolong our youthfulness, build good cholesterol, and generally lengthen our lives. And if that’s not enough to get us moving think of how glowing you will look after a stretching exercise and a mile or two walk!

Eat organic foods: balancing the chemistry of your diet intelligently, with good amounts of protein and essential fatty acids, and a modest amount of carbohydrates. Tailoring daily diet and eating habits to your specific needs, using the wisdom of the ancient indigenous traditions and the latest scientific discoveries about food chemistry as it relates to body chemistry and blood type.

Finally, most importantly: Love.