Protecting Your Assets

Remember that whatever may transpire

around you, you still have control and

authority over your

inner landscape.

Treat it--and yourself--like a

treasured garden.

Be of utmost discriminating tastes about

every little thing that enters your abode;

the food, the drink, the quality of air,

the noise you hear, the medications,

and every individual thing.

Question what its purpose is and

whether you wish it for yourself.

You have the right.

Have a safe and happy New Year!

*****************************

Behind the Facade

"The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any rate organised religion,

in India and elsewhere, has filled me with horror and I have frequently

condemned it and wished to make a clean sweep of it. Almost always it

seemed to stand for blind belief and reaction, dogma and bigotry,

superstition, exploitation and the preservation of vested interests."

                                                                   
                                                                             — Nehru

                    *************************************************************

Recommended Daily Checklist

Recommended Daily Checklist

Start the day—and end the day—with focus on positive thoughts


Focus on the moment at hand


No complaints


No blame


No self-pity


OWN YOUR SPACE


Assert your worth


Recognize how unimportant most things are


Make good use of time


Relax and let it be


Don’t tear others down to feel good about self


Don’t assume


Be kind to your mistakes—and others’


Take responsibility


Help another, without judgment


Embrace difficulty


Try new things; RISK


Trust that all is well; worry is a worthless emotion


People are doing the best they know how


Know your strength; meet challenges


Focus on gratitude, not lacking


Be your own cheerleader


Hold to a higher ideal; even if alone,
even if your heart isn’t in it

 
*************************************

One Moment at a Time

Even if you feel like you can't do a lot,

every one of us can do a little.

Right where we are, every day, for a little

bit of time...we can make a differnce.

You don't start off a battle by

trying to win the whole war.

It's incremental, slow, strategic, one step at

a time. Taking care of our bodies is a battle.

We are in a war for our well-being.

If you're pressed for time, do

exercises where you're at.

Do squats while you brush your teeth.

Do side bends while vacuuming.

Do isometric muscle tensing while driving.

If you work at a desk, do knee lifts and

foot rotations and neck stretches.

Take stairs.

Walk during your lunch break, even if

just around the building.

When it's cold, walk at the grocery store.

Eat just a little less than normal, once a day.

Eat your last meal a little earlier in the day.

Cut starches just one meal a day.

Do without butter just one meal a day.

Every little decision adds up to an end result.

Don't buy the baloney that you can't affect

real change right where you are, right

like you are. You can start a revolution

without severe cosmetic or financial

or geographic changes;

life happens wherever we are.

One choice at a time.

**********

Conscious Eating

When it comes to food and eating, we have very little
actual requirements. I'm speaking of our basic biological
requirements.

We need to eat for nutritional intake to maintain our bodies,
health, and mass. (Now, getting specific, the level of protein
you need, the vitamins, etc, is very specific. But our reason
for putting food in our bodies--as a necessity--is very simple.)

However, we are a by-product of a prosperous and spoiled
society, and a technological society, and our eating habits and
motives have become varied. And negative.

We eat because others are eating.
We eat what it is convenient to eat.
We eat the amounts that others give us.
We eat because we are bored.
We eat so as to not have any leftovers left to save.
We eat to fill an emotional void.
We eat to finish the bag.
We eat because we're angry and not paying attention.

But the bottom line on all of these patterns of behavior is
that we are not truly PRESENT in the moment, paying
attention to what we are doing...and more importantly,
the EFFECTS of eating what we are eating.

It's important to recognize the correlation between our
actions and our consequences. Our weight, our health,
our energy levels, our longevity, our very lives are effected
by the quantity and quality of every single thing we place
in our mouths.

Hard as it is, we have to get out of a habitual action of
eating whatever is available, or eating to medicate feelings.
If we are learning to care about self, we must learn to consider
and deliberate what we are doing and how it relates to our
body's actual nutritional needs.

We need plenty of water, vegetables, fruits, and protein.
We need less fats and oils and sugar.
What have we had so far today?
How much are we eating beyond quelling hunger?
What would make me feel better?

Stop. Think. Consider.
We are responsible for our well-being...and we must make
the changes required to adjust to better living.

Paying Attention!

Being aware of what we put into our bodies...being conscious...

is perhaps the most important change we can make.

So often we just eat whatever is available,

or we eat when tired and distracted.

Sometimes we eat to (ugh!) please others,

and sometimes we are just plain not paying attention.

Becoming alert about what goes into a product

(and therefore, HELLO! --what goes into us!)

is a crucial development for successful eating.

To be more healthful and nutritious takes

some investigating and caution.

Below is a link to a great site with tons of

info for reading food labels and how to

interpret them, as well as what items

are most important when you read them.

Always remember the hidden calories and dangers

(sugar, salt, etc) of such 'incidentals' as

toppings, dressings, and other last second

add-ons.

If eating out, assume the worst, and always ask

for sauces to be....ON THE SIDE!

Portion control is everything.

http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/consumerinformation/ucm078889.htm

Back On It

What with all the depression and frustration and blah, blah, blah
of recent months, I had made a conscious decision to let my
healthy eating/lifestyle slide.

I rationalized that some food-related comfort was acceptable,
and I might as well enjoy life since I don't know how much
longer I have, etc.
You know the drill!

I was also having trouble finding what foods I needed for
optimum health through the food bank and with my limited
food stamps. (For those not 'in-the-know,' healthier eating
is more expensive.)

Shit 'foods' are readily available and inexpensive. It costs
very little to manufacture the empty calories that are killing
Americans with completely avoidable health problems; diabetes,
hyper-tension, cancer, stroke, heart attack, etc.

The biggest 'convincer' that "some of this stuff won't hurt you!"
myth is that the habit of poor eating is so widespread. Even
after all the nutrition facts and statistics and scientific results,
most people in this country treat their bodies like a garbage dump.

We use white flour because we always have, we use sugar
because it's possibly the most highly addictive substance (besides
nicotine) on the planet, and we FRY, FRY, FRY because that's
the way that's always been done.

So, after stuffing my face with crap and feeling bad the next day
and tiring of seeing my never-ending waistline expansion,
I got real. Again. No more excuses.

*I am responsible for everything I put in my mouth.
*It is not a 'Treat' to lace my body with chemicals and artery-cloggers.
*Sugar is a drug; stop medicating with it, Robert!
*No more giving in to what's easier; make better decisions.

I have to remember my goals. I have to think of the
long haul, and not be distracted with the momentary pleasures.
It's just like every other addictive and compulsory problem;
except I have to deal with this every single day.

I sort of lost my way, and once you do it, staying lost is easy.
But I have to bear in mind that I care about myself, and that isn't a
part time job. Being conscious and "in the moment" about food
intake--and exercise--is crucial for me to have the kind of life
I want...and deserve.

It isn't magic. It isn't going to fix itself.
It's hard work and will power. But we can do it, once we
decide we need to and we're worthwhile.

This isn't punishment. It isn't an ordeal. I can and do eat fun
and tasty food. Like everything else, I have to stop allowing
myself to be influenced by the majority, and just DO WHAT
I KNOW TO BE RIGHT.

It works out ever so much better in the end!

Peace....

Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say

Often when people say "You should have an
open mind," what they mean is "Why won't
you allow me to convince you how right I am?"

It is one thing to be open to allowing others
their beliefs, as well as potentially
considering that they may be right.
It's another to cave to what others want
in an effort to people please or accommodate.

I have the right to maintain distance from
any ideology I disbelieve or dislike.

I have the right to support and promote
the beliefs I subscribe to.

I have the right to not listen to diatribes or
propaganda, and still be respected.

An open mind works both ways.

And "No, thank you" is still a complete sentence.

More than just complaining

It may seem rudimentary, but it obviously bears
repeating; The Heat Kills.

Please do everything you can to stay safe, healthy, and
alive. This is no time for trying to impress anyone.

The 'common sense' stuff;

Drink plenty of fluids, preferably room temp.

Water, tea, and sports drinks are best.

Stay away from caffeine and sodas and sugar.

Don't eat heavy meals before going into the heat.

Stay inside if at all possible; go out before or after
the peak hot times (12-4 EST) if possible.

Wear light, loose fitting clothes.

Carry a rag to keep perspiration off your face and
out of your eyes.

Wear sunblock.

Don't wear regular hats that block release of heat;
straw hats that are well ventilated keep you aired
out but block the sun.

Wear an icepack (wrapped in cloth) around your neck
to keep cooler.

Carry a cooler with you; don't worry about looking
'un-cool' to friends. Stay healthy.

Keep animals inside or under shelter. Give them
a fan if possible. Keep plenty of water and check it often.

NEVER leave animals or kids in a closed car.

If getting perishable groceries, take a cooler and ice
with you for long drives.

Don't go from severe heat directly into cold air.
Also, dry off and cool down before going inside.
(The severe temp changes cause sickness.)

Eat right, eat light, eat smart.

Take breaks often and don't push past exhaustion.
heat can upset many existing medical conditions
and bring on heart and brain problems.

Break up projects over several mornings, taking it
easy, rather than trying to do it all at once.

Use your mind; don't give in to peer pressure.

Remember; you owe it to yourself to take care
of yourself. There is no amount of proving self
to others worth sickness, suffering, or death.

This is the real deal; act smartly.

*********************************

Assumptions

Who told us to think the way we do?


Even after knowing that what we worry about hardly
ever comes to pass, why do we still hold to the
outdated and self-sabotaging ideas that persist in our
heads?


When we hear the phone ring, why do we tense
up and assume the worst?


When people say what their plans are, why do we
think they are wasting their time or doomed?


Our own hearts and minds seem determined to undermine
our own happiness or burden the day.


We don't see even a fraction of what is going on
in the world, and what we do see is filtered through our
ability to comprehend as well as our filters we have
from our limited understanding of our past experiences.


How can we possibly be so unctuous and presumptuous
that we think ourselves capable of comprehending the
make-up of the universe? That we can know what is in
the heart of another human being? That we can glean an
insight into the meaning of life? That we can select the most
accurate philosophy or interpretation of such things?


We imagine ourselves to be the first who will set right
all the yearnings and struggles that all people have had for
centuries. We will select the one true source, the one true
idea, the one perfect example. But perhaps all of this
starts with the assumption that such an absolute exists
in the first place.


Perhaps the human brain is better focused on not
thinking so much. Allowance. Acceptance. Taking
things at face value, even if it brings trouble. Release
of expectation and 'need to know.'

Less absolute, less dogma, less striving.
More contentment, more relaxation, more ephemeral.

There's only one way off the mudball, anyway, so
maybe we can just enjoy the ride, regardless of where
it goes and what it entails. Of course, I'm assuming
that we can change in time for it to matter.


*******************************************

Not Dead Yet

the incredible graphic novel "Family Matter"

by Will Eisner

In my day, I've seen a lot of people at the end of their lives.
Between frequenting nursing homes, volunteering, making friends
with sick and older folks, and surviving the HIV/AIDS crisis, I saw
a lot of different takes on how people face the end.

The one similarity I can draw between them all was the lack of
interest in having friends and family be around them.

In the movies, you see people hover and clutch and try and say
those precious 'unsaid' thoughts. In reality, most want to be
like the animals, and go off by themselves to die in peace.

People who are not experiencing sickness themselves don't
want to experience it. It's uncomfortable and scary, and people
do everything they can to avoid thinking about old age, sickness,
and/or death. They can't be expected to understand. Yet all people
who are at the end want is understanding.

An identity of separateness and diminished
capacity starts to form. The Whole Person is replaced by The
Sickness. The Well can't see anything but the Sickness, and yet
are distracted by their lives of activity and busyness. The unwell
can't relate to what are now trivial concerns, and need someone
who can understand what they're talking about.

So a schism starts to form. Only natural, but a schism nonetheless.
Detachment, for both parties' self-preservation.

I have watched many a friend's entire complexion change for the
worse upon hearing that a family member was coming up to visit.
They didn't want to have to put on a show. They didn't want to
answer umpteen expected questions about the day's numbers.
They didn't want to see the changed look in their eyes. No one
wants to be an obligation or a compartmentalized object.

Many elected not to tell friends and family that they were sick
at all. "I don't want to be treated any differently because of this
one thing. If they love me, show it when I'm well. If they don't
want anything to do with me, that's fine too."

When someone is sick, honesty in words and action can be a
true blessing. The sick are still the human beings we have always
known.

No More Words

Healthy Revolution event

HEALTHY REVOLUTION:

KNOWING YOUR WORTH!

A free workshop for building self-esteem

and taking personal responsibility!

We'll look at overcoming codependency,

finding inner strength, and strengthening recovery!

SATURDAY, May 14th, 2011

at the Still Waters Retreat by the Lake

(7882 Parkside Circle, Donalsonville)

(just e-mail for directions; easily accessible from

Donalsonville or Bainbridge!)

5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Coffee provided; bring paper & pen!

For more info, e-mail Robert at HealthyRevolution@live.com

EVERYONE is at risk for HIV infection

This is what HIV looks like up close.

Do you know how to spot it from a distance?

http://www.hivfactsabout.com/

In 2008, there were 42,439 new cases

of HIV transmission reported.

That's just transmission of the virus

that were caught by people who were

tested or had blood run.

The Black/African-American community

accounted for just over 50% of the

new cases of HIV, and the rate

of transmission for Black and Hispanic

women is FIFTEEN times higher

than that of other races of women.

These communities continue to

be at significant risk due to aversion to

education about the virus as well

as aversion to safer sex practices.

Other groups like young adults are at risk

because they think the virus is over. When's

the last time YOU heard anything about

HIV or AIDS on the news?

Being afraid won't keep you safe

from HIV and AIDS.

Avoiding certain people won't prevent the spread

of the virus.

Thinking you are one of the privileged few who

is 'safe' will not keep you safe.

Believing the sweet nothings of a lover, or

not wanting to 'ruin' a tender moment

will not stop the spread of this undetected

micro-organism.

Be aware.

Be smart.

Protect yourself.

Open a dialogue with those you love, today.

*****************

Every Single Day

One of the things people always say is "I can't afford
expensive supplements and such."

Well, you really don't have to spend money to be well.
It's as simple as being conscious of what you eat and
looking to natural healing foods for your basic health
and wellness.

Here is a list of 12 simple, mostly average household
staples that every person (barring an allergy) should use
every day to help improve your immune system!

THE LIST!

1. Raw onion... antioxidants, cancer-
fighting and cardio health

2. Fresh apple...appetite suppressant,
high vitamins, weight loss, diabetes control,
etc.

3. Cayenne pepper...help with lungs, reduce
high blood pressure, assist stomach/intestines

4. Extra-virgin Olive Oil (uncooked)...
joint maintenance, fights colon cancer, reduce
blood pressure/cholesterol, etc.

5. Apple cider vinegar...helps with cholesterol,
blood pressure, triglycerides, diabetes, and
absorption of minerals

6. fresh garlic (minced is fine)...wonder drug for
everything to helping prevent cold/flu, acne,
cholesterol, etc.

7. Fish oil...either capsule or in baked fish....
good oils, lubrication, heart health, etc.

8. locally grown honey...helps fight allergies,
reduces inflammation, general healing, etc.

9. Yogurt...look for low sugar...great for stomach
and colon health

10. Muscadine grape juice ...antioxidants,
good replacement for wine, Vitamin E, etc.

11. Cinnamon...regulates blood sugar, fights
clotting, helps arthritis, etc.

12. Grape seed extract...(probably the most
costly item on the list)...fights swelling,
carcinogens, allergens, viruses....wide use

To make it easier to ingest, I'll usually put multiple items in one thing....
Like have a bowl of chili or a baked potato and add the garlic, olive oil,
cayenne pepper, onion, cinnamon, to flavor and also get all my
supplements covered.

Or I'll make a smoothie and include fresh apple, cinnamon,
honey, yogurt, muscadine grape juice, and grape seed extract so
that it is efficient and easy! Mix it up...be inventive!

I encourage you all, as always, to do further research on your own
to find out more about these items, and especially to check on side
effects if you have any conditions or are taking medications.

Remove Anger From Your Heart

Working on it...some days are better than others.

Last night, anger overtook me. I didn't lash out
entirely as I wanted to, but I still let myself be altered by
things outside of me.

I also didn't suppress my rage. I allowed it to be present,
acknowledged it, tamed it sufficiently, and then slowly
worked my way through to what specifically had caused
the anger.

As is usually the case, there was great hurt and betrayal
behind the armor of anger. I released it, and dealt with
the emotions, and worked on releasing all the resentment
once more. It is sometimes an ongoing battle.

But in the end, it serves me no good to hold on to any
form of upset. I know this, but sometimes old wounds are
still easily triggered.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsUmPvaZIP0&feature=player_profilepage

This video helped me to reclaim my desires. Maybe it can serve
as inspiration for you, too.

Peace....

***********************************************

The Stray Dog

A Reality Explored


One day a stray dog, obviously diseased and
sickly approached an old couple in their country
home.


The dog approached them--that's all.


The couple had a choice to be frightened and
assume the worst. They could have imagined
the dog was vicious. They might have had
a prior experience with a wild dog that left them
concerned. Perhaps they heard a news story
about someone being attacked by a dog.


The mind brings much to every encounter
except perhaps accurate analysis of what is
actually happening in front of the eyes.


There are a hundred different possible
scenarios that could have emerged from
the couple's encounter with the dog.


They could have shot the dog to put it
out of misery. They could have shot the dog
rather than chance it attacking.


They could have turned it away with a stern
warning. They could have placed food and
water out but then sent it along. They could
have ignored it as it hovered.

Perhaps they could have treated its wounds
and left it alone. Taken it to the vet for
treatment and placement.

They could have helped the dog recuperate and
then sent it back to the wild. Saved it and
kept it as a companion.

They could have taken the animal in as their
own but not done anything to treat it.
They could have become abusive to the dog
in their own way.

So many possibilities...hundreds of different
options, and any one accessible by the
actions of the moment. The power of choice.

So the only reality is that the dog approached.

What happens next is dictated by the
reactions of the couple. The reaction is in part
influenced by the thoughts of the couple. But
decisions are optional constructs, made by
whatever level of consciousness in possessed
by the couple.

The dog merely exists; it is the reality.

We form the next phase by how we respond.
If we respond.
By what level we accept all aspects of a
situation as it is, not how we perceive it to be.

Do you see a dog that wants to bite?
Do you see a dog that wants to be healed?
Do you see a threat, a victim, or a kindred
spirit?
What fills your eyes?

**********************************

Murky Waters

So what happens when someone mixes reality with
supposition? Do we get tricked and swallow the
bait? Or do we sift through the murky waters and
garner the kernel of truth, leaving the rest?

This is a tricky area; separating what we believe
from what is fact.

Say you're not feeling well, so you go to the
doctor. The doctor runs tests, and comes to you
with the results. The doctor presents that you are in
fact sick (which we'll assume for the purposes of
this exercise, is a fact.)

Next, however, the doctor decides to give a little 'gift.'

"I give you 6 months to live," he or she states.

Nope.
Take it back.
Don't curse me, you quackish hack.
F*** you very much, Doctor Douche bag.

This is an assumption, not fact. It is the doctor's
reality, which is distinctly different from being
actual reality or your reality. It doesn't become
reality until you accept it, embrace it, take it
inside and give it a home. That's a choice.

The sickness may be true. Sickness is treatable.
Attitude and mental clarity are huge factors in
addressing any dis-eases in the body. Some
even point to evidence that disease is a direct
result of stress, thinking, and pent-up emotions.

Maybe you want a death sentence?

Maybe you believe life is unfair and you feel
dramatic and want to die and feel sorry for
yourself prior?

Maybe you simply think big ol'
important doctors know more about your body
and your fighting spirit than you?

Maybe a lot of things....like there are plenty
of folks out there who decide to improve their
lives as a result of such erroneous curses from
doctors, and come back from it better than ever.

We choose everything in our world.
How we live. Whether or not we want to live.
Giving up is a choice, too. It isn't a reality....
despair is a state of mind.

Life can be as good as we want it to be.
What do we really want?
Have we ever been asked before?

*************************************

Clarity

Reality is not going to
engage in an argument with you.

It will not fight back; it
merely sits, unchanging.
Undaunted. Unconcerned.

You will not hurt its feelings by
pouting, falling apart, or
becoming frustrated or
irate at what is.

We might as well make peace.

If you have a car accident, it has
already happened and cannot be undone.

If an adult child is self-destructing
and will not allow help, it cannot
be altered.

If you have lost a job, it cannot be
un-lost.

Life moves on beyond all these
conditions, but when they are the case,
they are the case.

So much energy and time is
wasted on trying to bend the universe
to our will.

"If only...."

Make peace with the sweet existence
of reality.

Now, how we react to it.....
that's something we can change!

********************************

What's really important?

Trying hard to hold

this groove intact

(grasp too tightly,

it's crushed;

ignore and release,

it's gone)

That delicate balance

between

acceptance and preparation,

confidence and humility,

peace and fighting spirit,

honesty and judgment....

an ever-expanding

living creation

of growth and experience.

I see those I opposed

in a different light

as my perspective

broadens

and matures.

May I never stop growing

and being dedicated,

but may I always remember

to be gentle and kind,

and allow frivolity

in at every possible

moment.

Tread lightly

and enjoy the experience.

Workshop

An invitation to all my friends to please come and participate!

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29th, 2011

Get the New Year started right!

An awesome all-day workshop experience to help us grow!

HEALTHY REVOLUTION INSIDE YOU!

A teaching and interactive open classroom with activities designed to

explore how we think, how and why we act, and how to change.

*Saturday, January 29th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. (with lunch and other breaks)

*At the Seminole County Library conference room.

A day designed to give something to ourselves!

Open to men and women of all ages, beliefs, and stages of growth.

This is an inclusive workshop designed to spur discussion, insights, and a greater

appreciation of ourselves as we experience this world.

We'll work on building self-esteem, uncovering motives and self-destructive

habits, and better appreciating one another!

Please contact me for reserving a space or for more information;

This is a FREE experience of a lifetime, (with donations always welcome!)

You will need: Notebook, pens, lunch, bottled water, and (if you like) a seat cushion

for comfort.

"Let each one find their own peace, and allow others to do the same."

Come share the connection we all have, journeying to find our worth and strength.

Your guide and fellow traveler, Robert

http://www.HealthyRevolution2009.blogspot.com

robertsayre2@hotmail.com