Obama Care or Wellness for Me? It’s time to Paint a New Picture!

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Cathy Silver
Healthy 2

Lets change our mindset. A declaration to ourselves.  I’ve been thinking about our dysfunctional sick care  or insurance reform that’s been in the news almost daily and know this is not the answer. American’s are smarter than this, and it’s time to take control of our own destiny. The question is really, how do we stay out of the sick-care spiral? Our current system  is a failure to create true health.   What about instead, a  pro-active choice to live a life of vitality and wellness?  The WHO (World Health Organization) defines health “is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.”

Ask yourself in this moment,  what do I need to do to insure myself a life of wellness– Today? (Not next week, or next month or next year or when I get around to it or after I have a heart attack or diabetes.)  The responsibility has to shift to us and our choices in the moment; not some future situation or event.  I always tell my clients it’s easier NOT to have to DIG YOURSELF out of a ditch or mud hole–you know when your boots are stuck.   What does it take to avoid the ditch and mud?  Everybody can live a life of wellness–not just a few.  Just like the air we breathe–there is not a limited number of people who can be well at one time.  There is  no preset number or rotation or take a number; the responsibility  becomes ours.

Educators and parents have used the philosophy of  Natural and Logical consequences for years.  I used it on my own children. It goes like this: If I choose option A (this could or will happen) and if I choose option B ( another set of potentials must happen) but the responsibility ultimately falls on our shoulders or in the case of my kids–theirs– and I have no one to blame, but myself!  Nifty for kids–more to think about when it us!

Hum, let me see, what do I get to do today that supports me being healthy? That gives me vitality? That allows me to fulfill my passion, purpose and desires? That creates positive energy in my life?  How can I shift the box I now live in to create this space?

I  love the metaphor of the painter and his canvas.

Could I use a few new paintbrushes to paint another canvas? Is it time to bring out the paint set, set up my easel and dream for a minute about a new way to paint? Is it the paint, brushes, technique or time of day–what I wear or don’t wear that inspires me to paint without the constraint of what I was taught? A roller, a rag, stones, leaves, splashing, throwing, dripping, spinning, mixing our medium and colors to recreate and unlearn all that we we taught in Art School?  Maybe forgetting everything and painting with our innate wisdom, a more beautiful and profoundly moving piece of art and portrait?  What if our paintbrushes were our tools for wellness–and the canvas was our body.  Are we able to UN-learn what we think we know?  How open are we to a new technique not restricted by someone else’s belief and truth moving forward without our fears in our personal new paradigm of wellness.  Drop your resistance. We can do this.  You can do this! Begin today! Do whatever it takes to wipe the cobwebs off your easel.

Pick up ‘one new color’ that calls to you–and a small brush. The brush represents a more healthful lifestyle choice;  the color; our action. Could that be a pair of walking shoes to walk around the block? Or eating something green? Or having a apple with lunch or skipping the drive-thru or packing something from home because its organic? What about  becoming gluten free or reading labels and watching our ingestion of sugar laden foods? Or drinking more water? Each of us is on our own time schedule–and our old canvas we’re painting over is sometimes cracked and worn, but the new masterpiece is well worth the effort, if we can just use our imagination and see in our minds eye, what is possible. Now download some Mozart, write your intentions and make a dream board.  The Universe always tells us “yes”. Choose one big thing and one small thing that you can do today to begin this journey! Shut your eyes and feel the joy and vitality shifting with your intent and declaration. Congratulations, you’re on your way!  The master is you, soon to be unveiled!

Painter Painting“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”  ~Lao Tzu

“Inspired wellness from within”

Cathy Silver, HC

http://www.cathysilverhealth.com

Filed under: 2014, Alternative Medicine, Energies of Healing, Food for Thought, Healthy Living, Living our truth, Primary Food, Self-help, Weight Loss, Well-being | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

When You Just Don’t Feel Like Exercising . . .

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Cathy Silver

Exercise, movement, physical activity or fitness. Whatever you choose to call it, some days are tougher than others.  Motivating ourselves to do the right thing can be a challenge some days. So, how do we get past our resistance?

First, acknowledge we all have days like this.  A spontaneous discussion after class with my yoga instructor last week revealed something similar: the exact same class, movement, and poses were easier some days than others for him. Lets call it human nature.  I don’t know if it is  tied to the moon, our bio-rhythms, stress or energy levels, but it’s important to find ways to get past it.

How do we convince ourselves to get moving when our job is weighing on our minds–our kids have soccer practice or we’re fighting a virus or boredom and the motivation that is usually there seems to have taken a leave of absence?

I share these thoughts as I fight to get out and do something; it is how I am feeling today.  I have a cold–nothing serious but my energy level is definitely waning. I’m afraid the cold is winning.  My friend Keary’s  kids have soccer practice and Wendy is frustrated with her latest job.  A common  scenario? Our reasons are all valid and convincing for not exercising.

I know I always feel better after my trip to the gym or a walk. The outdoors make me feel refreshed and renewed; especially this time a year in south Florida. The endorphins and the negative ions circulate wellness to my being.  I could choose to walk the treadmill or pedal the bike, a variation from my almost daily elliptical tete-a-tete.  What about a spontaneous dance or step class? What made me feel good as a kid? Could I get out on my bike, or jump in the pool for a swim? Maybe a reward? A feel good massage, a facial or another form of pampering? What about treating myself to a pedicure or a new spring work-out top?  A few sessions with a personal trainer, perhaps? My friend Debbie, suggests belly dancing! If  that sounds fun, let the inner-child out to play!  The reward is worth the fight.  Anything that can get us out of our routine and stimulate our desire and motivation encouraging  us towards some sort of daily fitness– does a body–and attitude good! But sometimes, it’s just nice knowing, we’re not alone!

Keary has decided to walk the grass soccer field while her kids run its length chasing that white and black ball. Wendy and I decide to go for a nice long walk. Debbie loves her tennis!   What will it be for you?

“Inspired wellness within”

Cathy Silver, HC

www.cathysilverhealth.com

Filed under: 2014, Energies of Healing, Exercise Benefits, Food for Thought, Healthy Living, Primary Food, Self-help, Stress relief, Weight Loss, Well-being | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

What Colors are on Your Canvas today?

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Cathy Silver

Painting on Canvas 5Why are some days tougher than others? Nothing really has changed, but I feel everything has. Like a tortured artist sitting beneath his canvas struggling to get others to understand his work or his life. The artist who toils for years, developing his technique appreciated by some, but passed by most on the street. Passed by as odd and not understood by the masses who fail to notice the gifted painter on the lonely street corner-as-he struggles to survive; his soul and heart directing the integrity, honor and passion of his craft.
Is this where we all find ourselves at times?  The weather forecast of life? Sometimes a humid and sultry day, another cold, cloudy and blustery, struggling to keep the chill at bay . Or do we liken ourselves closer to the seasons of the year? Winter for a week or more . . .  to be followed by summer, autumn and spring–only to be mixed back up once again in a unpredictable order, not following any linear direction, or one we can control or even understand?
The life boat is rocked by many storms–who falls out and who survives the rocky and turbulent seas for another and another and another storm? Are these events and life challenges dictated by our higher self or soul, remembered and recorded indelibly burnt like branding irons on our psyche, etched for eternity and something we have nicknamed wisdom for lack of truer understanding?
And, tomorrow, will that bring the sun back and fair sky?  Our life boat calmly floating and being gently carried by the tides; the artist once again content following his silent colorful melody, which only he can hear.

Filed under: 2014, Energies of Healing, Food for Thought, Primary Food, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Well-being | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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