Doctor Kem's Success Blog

Why You Do NOT Want To Lose Weight!

2014-06-16T22:02:00.004+00:00

Losing weight is one of the commonest resolutions that people make every year. Yet obesity and overweight are on the increase.

Makes you wonder what is wrong with that picture.

What makes it such a difficult goal to accomplish or stick to?

Well there are several things, but for now let's talk about the most important reason.

It's the way you state the goal. In other words, it's the command you're giving to your subconscious mind. Your mind functions to attract and bring about the physical form of what you think about.

You say, 'I want to lose weight'.

Your subconscious mind reads that statement as 'I have excess weight', or 'I don't have weight loss' because that's what you're implying when you state your goal that way. That's the thought behind that statement.

There are 3 main problems with stating your desire this way.

- Since the predominant thought behind the statement is 'abundant weight' or 'excess weight', that is what you get. Remember, you get what you think about most of the time. You become what you think about - it's the way your mind works, whether you're aware of it or not.

- Since there is also a thought on 'losing weight', there is the danger of your subconscious finding creative ways to help you lose weight, for example you could have an accident and lose a limb or something. Or you could have a horrendous bout of diarrhoea. You'd weigh less then, for sure. Not quite what you had in mind I'll bet.

- Your mind is designed to bring about what's best for you. So it doesn't want you to 'lose' anything. If you talk about losing weight, your mind will do everything to help you find it.

You can see how stating your goal the wrong way can set you up to lose the battle right from the start.

Many 'weight loss' programs fail because they deal with external activities without paying attention to what's going on in your mind. Yet your mind is what decides the results you get, because it dictates the actions you take. The programs that teach you the right way to think are the ones that will help you maintain any weight level you seek.

A program that focuses on 'weight loss' is inadvertently focusing on attracting weight because that's the predominant thought throughout the program. You may find you lose weight in the short term, but eventually your actions (based on your current mindset) lead you to gain it right back. I see this very often in practice.

How should you state your goal then?

First of all you need to understand that 'weight' in itself is not the issue. Health is the issue.

What the weighing scale reads, is not the threat you face. Your threat is excess fat. A healthy body does not hold on to excess fat - it naturally releases it.

Muscle weighs more than fat, so if you've got a lot of lean muscle, you'd probably weigh more than someone who has the same amount of fat, yet they're are the ones in greater danger, healthwise.

This is one of the flaws of the BMI measurements that are so popular. Body Mass Index measurements measure your weight against your height. They *are* useful indicators of weight-related health risks, but because they do not take account of the source of the weight (fat or muscle), the readings can sometimes be misleading. Case in point. At one point, Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwartzenegger had the same BMI...

If you desire to 'lose weight', a better way is to speak in terms of 'releasing fat'. The best way to state a goal is in the present tense with a deadline.

So you could say 'I am releasing at least 500grams of excess fat every week' or you could say 'I weigh....(state your desired weight) of lean muscle and 10% body fat (if that's your desired body fat percentage level) by the 30th of March 2014'.

Those are examples - try them on for size. Better yet, come up with ones of your own.

Notice how you feel when you rephrase your weight goals that way. Notice the shift in energy behind those words.

Paradigm Shift...
Now here's a paradigm shift for you: what if your goal statement had *nothing* to do with weight or fat. What if your goal statement focused on 'health'.

Do you think you could achieve your ideal weight with that sort of goal statement?

Absolutely! This is, in my opinion, the very best way to state a 'weight' goal.

Here's the thing: a perfectly healthy body is not over-weight. It's not under-weight either.

When you are in perfect, true health, your body *naturally* releases excess fat and holds onto just what it needs to function perfectly.

So here's my challenge to you.

Don't join the masses who obsess about their body weight. A wise man once said that if you see the majority doing something, you'd better go the other way.

Be one of the few people who are truly 'health conscious'. What you are conscious of is what you attract. So state your goal as 'I am perfectly healthy now', and focus on that thought, for that is what you'll attract.

When you look in the mirror and what you see doesn't reflect your goal, remind yourself that your statement refers to the 'real' you, not the 'case' you move around in. The good thing about this is that your subconscious will latch onto your predominant thought which is 'I am perfectly healthy now', and guide you to do things that make it your physical reality.

It's amazing the way your mind works. Learn to make it work for you, not against you.

Upgrade your 'weight' goal today. Focus on perfect health, for the 'ideal weight' is part of the 'perfect health' package.

Setting Your Health Goal: Think Health!
Let me leave you with an excellent way to state your new and improved 'weight' goal. I learnt this (the 'I am so happy and thankful' bit) from Bob Proctor. Go ahead and say it out loud with me now:

"I am so happy and thankful that I am perfectly healthy now".

Then you go ahead and set daily or weekly goals such as how many days a week you will work out, what you will eat each day, etc. while remembering the overall, ultimate destination goal.
Eg I clock up 10000 steps every day. I drink 1 cup of freshly made vegetable juice each day. I drink 2.5L of water each day. and so forth.

Think Health! And the weight will take care of itself, I promise you.

Surround yourself with images and thoughts that reflect your stated desired outcome. Surround yourself also with likeminded people so that your mind is bombarded with all things health.

Make that your predominant thought and it will become your physical reality in good time, as your actions steer you towards it.

DARE TO DREAM, DARE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

2014-04-06T09:56:00.001+00:00

Dreams, Visions and Goals are on my mind. Thoughts at the moment - I'll use the word 'dream' to represent Dreams, Visions and Goals:

a) YOU have been given YOUR dream for a reason. It's YOURS. Not someone else's.

b) You came into this world FULLY EQUIPPED with all you could possibly need, to make this vision come to pass. You won't begin to access this until you recognise this truth. You're all that and a bag of something healthy. You've got what it takes to make that dream become real, regardless of your current circumstances.

c) Your dream has been given to YOU by your Creator, for the purpose of serving many. It ain't about you, folks, though you do get to reap the benefits of living your dream, big time.

d) Don't be afraid to have a BHAD (Big, Hairy, Audacious Dream) - the One who's put it in your heart is Bigger than you or it or anyone else. Plus you've got what it takes to make it come to pass. If it's not big enough or audacious enough you ain't seeing the vision clearly yet.

e) This world is run by people who held on tenaciously to **and** took consistent action based on their BHAD.

f) No matter the size of your dream, you WILL have nay sayers. It's ok. Somebody's gotta be them. So let them be, and refuse to let them shift your focus off your dream/vision/goal.

g) Your dream is a seed. Just as a farmer does not agitate about **how** the seed he plants turns into a tree, your job is not to agitate about **how** your dream will become reality. Your job is to plant the seed (get clear on what exactly you desire out of life), then start wherever you are to do the best you can at what you are currently doing, in an attitude of gratitude that no matter what, your dream is coming true. Tis a law of nature - harvest time *MUST* come for you as long as you keep nurturing that dream seed by your thoughts, words and actions.

h) You've gotta SHOW UP for your dream to come true. It is impossible to make excuses and show up at the same time.
SHOW UP on time, wherever you should be, and do the best you can at whatever you should be doing. **Whether or not you feel like it.**

Show up at work on time, do the best you can.

Show up for your workout (wherever you are - home/gym/work ) and put in the time.

Show up in your kitchen and invest time in preparing healthy dishes.

Show up at your desk and study your course material.

Show up in your room or wherever, and rehearse that speech/play/recital etc.

Show up at your choir practice and train that voice best you can.

Show up in your life and study personal development material to better yourself.

Show up in your child's life and be a hands on parent. Take responsibility and don't blame the school or the government for how your child turns out. You were there first in their life.

Show up in your partner's life and give 100% expecting nothing back.

Whatever you desire to be, do or have, you've first gotta SHOW UP!

Your dream and the millions who would benefit from it coming true, depends on you SHOWING UP.

PRESS RELEASE

2013-11-11T20:28:00.001+00:00

PRESS RELEASE, NOVEMBER 2013

NIGERIAN DOCTOR BAGS TWO PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS IN LONDON (for campaign to end epidemic of chronic degenerative disease through Healthy Lifestyle) – IN SAME WEEK!

The first EVER medical professional to accomplish this feat!

A Zambian-born Nigerian Doctor based in the United Kingdom, Dr Nkem (Ezeilo) Thompson MBBS, Dip. Performance Coaching, MRCGP, has just achieved a hat-trick of awards this year, having won 2 prestigious awards in London in the same week, after winning one earlier this year.

Dr Nkem, a General Practitioner, Motivational Speaker and Author based in London, won the Gathering of Africa’s Best (GAB) Award for Excellence for contributions in the area of Health, at a ceremony that took place in the Hilton Hotel , Paddington London on the 27th of October 2013.

5 short days later, she was at the Marriot in Bexleyheath, South London, where she won the LifeChangers “Female Personality of The Year 2013″ Award in a glamorous ceremony.

Earlier in the year, in may 2013, the dynamic doctor, dubbed ‘The Motivational Medic’ by the media, had bagged the Women4Africa “Motivational Speaker of The Year 2013″ Award at an event in London also.

These accolades are in recognition of Dr Nkem’s passion and tireless efforts in bringing to the public the message of a Healthy Lifestyle as THE way to reverse and prevent such illnesses as Diabetes and Hypertension, as well as being THE way to maintain and develop your greatest asset (health is the greatest wealth). Her popular ‘Pillars of A Healthy Lifestyle‘ form the foundation for her speeches, coaching programs, and consultations.

A qualified Professional Peak Perfomance Coach, Dr Nkem is a sought-after Keynote Speaker and has spoken to diverse audiences including the general public, Business leaders and most recently spoke at the British House of Parliament as part of the Black History Month celebrations. She was recognised as one of ten Nigerians of note in the diaspora, in the maiden edition of the magazine of the Nigerian House of Representatives, ‘WAZOBIA Diasporan’ in June 2013.

Equipping You To Succeed One Day At A Time!

She is a prolific writer and is widely published online and offline, and has been quoted as the Health Expert in such magazines as Psychologies, Red, Pride magazine.

She is the author of several books including the popular ‘Inspirational Blueprints of Personal Success for Women’ – the 2nd edition of which is due out early next year. She’s also currently rounding up work on a health-related book due out next year.

TIPS TO HELP YOU FINISH STRONG IN 2013!

2013-08-31T22:08:00.000+00:00

FINISH STRONG IN 2013!

Ok so we're about to enter the 'ember months now. 4 months to the end of 2013.

However you have performed up til now, you can still finish strong this year. Here are some tips to help you do this

Now, 80-95% of those reading this won’t do a thing with the information on here.

Why?

Not cos it doesn’t work - it does work, as the numerous clients I and others have worked with can testify.

Not cos it’s hard or difficult. On the contrary it’s very easy to do this stuff.

But they won’t do it because it’s so easy NOT to do.

Then they will sit around, criticize and complain about the diligent and successful 5-10% who make the effort to do the easy little things that make ALL the difference.

Choice is yours.
Choose to finish strong, dear reader - you CAN do this! And if it's to be, it's up to you.

If you desire to TAKE ACTION and FINISH STRONG this year, as I do, here’s what to do:

First, go to a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted, get a notebook and GAP (Grab A Pen)!

You’re about to do a lot of writing because
a) Writing forces you to FOCUS on what you are writing about and

b) Writing gives you a certain CLARITY about issues.
c) Writing with pen and paper has a certain POWER about it that is not quite the same as typing on a computer… but typing it out is ok too so because of (a) and (b) above.

Then:

Get clear on your values.

Your values are the things that are most important to you, and form the foundation of everything else you do: you feel frustrated and guilty when something you're doing violates your values so get clear of what those values are, then line up your goals and actions so that they are congruent with them.

Violating your values is for instance, why you feel guilty when you’ve eaten junk food if health is one of your values. If you didn’t give two hoots about health you’d happily indulge in habits that damage your health, with no feeling of guilt. Or if you neglect to phone someone you love because you’ve got a visitor in the house at the time you were meant to call em, you feel guilty and frustrated because you’ve violated the value of quality time with your loved one. If you’re not clear on what your values are though you won’t know why you feel frustrated and stressed all the time.

In addition when you know your values and their order of priority, you find it easy to make decisions and to say no when you mean to say no.

So get clear on your values and write them down now. Write them down in order of priority so that you know which ones it’s ok to swap around if the occasion arises: for instance one of the ladies in the Health Coaching group I run on FB had to choose between spending time with her little one, and going for a workout - both health and family time are important to her but getting clear on which was more important helped her make the decision of which one to do at the moment, without feeling guilty. It also gave her the flexibility to ensure she fitted in the other activity at some point in her week.

Re-write/update your goals list.

What main goals do you desire to achieve by December 31, 2013? Write them down NOW.

These goals must line up with your stated values. Otherwise you will sabotage yourself along the way. But be clear and specific when writing your goals and be sure to include the 31st of December as your intended date of achievement - that way your mind has something to aim for.

Then get into the habit of rewriting this updated list DAILY (daily goal setting) first thing in the morning. This is a powerful way to start you off focused at the start of the day. Easy to do, easy not to do. Your choice.

Star In Your Own (Mental) Movie:
Write & Act Out Your Screenplay

What sort of person do you need to be, to have achieved your written goals by the 31st of

December?

Describe this sort of person clearly - in writing. This here is you writing the screenplay for the rest of your life- least for the next 4 months.

Create a mental image, a mental movie even, of you in the role of this person. Yep write this down too: What do you look like, what behaviours and habits do you have, what do you smell like, how do you feel, in that role?

Watch this movie any spare moment you get - this is called "directed daydreaming."

Get Organised & Take Action!

What ACTIONS do you need to take weekly or daily, to make your goals happen? Write them down. Like the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you're planning to fail. So write out your winning strategy now. At the start of each week, write out your week’s targets/goals and actions.

At the end of each day, write down your TO DO list for the following day. Leave nothing to chance, but be flexible enough to accomodate things that come up in the course of life.

ACTION is where the rubber meets the road. You can think positive until you are blue in the face and you get brain cramps, but if you do not take ACTION, NOTHING happens!

So write down your ACTION PLAN for the next 4 months.

Break this down into Weekly Action Plan then your Daily Action Plan list.

Prioritise your list and do the most important items first. Never start a less important task without completing an important one. (See time management below)

Then start ACTING on what you’ve written as soon as you possibly can.

Break Free From Limiting Beliefs

Weed out limiting beliefs and disempowering "can't do" thoughts - then blast em into smithereens by creatively bombarding your mind with empowering "can-do" thoughts.

Limiting beliefs are those thoughts that lead you to think less of yourself than you are. They are so called because they limit your effectiveness and productivity by creating in your mind, an image of yourself that's less capable than you really are. It's important to overcome them because your beliefs determine your self image, which determines your actions, which determine your results.

So if the result you desire is to finish strong this year, then you've gotta start now to replace your limiting beliefs with strong, empowering, "can-do" beliefs about yourself.

How To Do This:
1) First you've gotta become aware of what these beliefs are. So get an A4 sheet of paper, and draw a line down the middle of it.

On one side, write down a list of negative thoughts you have about yourself such as ‘I’m not clever’ or ‘I’m not good enough’ or whatever thoughts are holding you back. As they occur to you, or at times when you notice yourself feeling low, write down the thoughts in your head at the time.

Then on the other side of the sheet, write down the corresponding opposite (positive) statement/thought to the negative one.
So for instance to correspond with the examples above you’d write: ‘I am clever’ , ‘I am good enough’ etc.

Flood your mind with images and words/thoughts of success, positivity, power, love, health, all good things. I find the Scriptures (aka ‘old testament’) a powerful repository of words with the qualities described above.

ii) Engage audio sense. If you’ve got a ‘voice memo’ or its equivalent on your phone, record yourself reading out the description you wrote above of the sort of person you are when you’ve achieved your goal, plus the positive thoughts you wrote down on your list above. Play your recording many times each day but at least twice a day.

Repetition got you where you are in terms of your current beliefs - repetition will get you out so long as you’re repeating the right thoughts.

iii) The famous 'rubber band' technique: put on a rubber band around your wrist. Each time you catch yourself saying something bad about yourself or putting yourself down, snap that rubber band and IMMEDIATELY say the opposite to yourself either silently or out loud. Literally snaps you out of that funk of destructive thinking.

iv) Dream Board - start collecting images that match your desired end result - use your sense of vision to flood your mind with empowering images and you will remain focused on the right track, and cultivate a healthy esteem of yourself.
Believe!

Believe without a shadow of doubt that you can and will achieve your goals.

Even if you’ve never achieved any goal to date, remember that your past DOES NOT EQUAL your future. The fact you messed up does not mean you are bound to mess up again. So quit living in the past. Believe for a better future.

Pick up lessons from the past but do like Yah says in Isaiah 43 and “forget the former things, do not dwell on the past, see, I’m doing a NEW thing”. Look ahead and focus on the new thing that's happening.

Dwelling on the past while moving forward is like driving while focusing on your rear view mirror - you’ll soon crash.

Keep your focus on your intended destination and believe you can and will get there.

Then line up your words and your actions with your belief.

7. Plug Into A Support System

Any life change becomes lasting when you are in an environment that's supportive. Stay away from haters and nay sayers - you need to focus and tune out the noise around you. Surround yourself with forward thinking proactive people, not lazy people whose most active muscle is their tongue.

The right support system will help you stay on track, get back on track when you derail, keep you accountable and give you the chance to give support also.

So choose your friends wisely and stay away from toxic people.

8. Use Your Time Well

Time is a gift that is only here once. Once this moment is gone it's gone forever. So use yours wisely.

With your being clear on your goals and values, you'll find it easy to use your time well because you'll be careful to spend it doing things that bring you closer to your goals.

Be brutal about protecting your time - don't let others dictate how your time is spent - it's YOUR life you're working on, remember.

Refuse to eat the bread of idleness: be diligent in your use of time. Make it worth it.

Prioritise your to do list on a daily basis, and be sure to complete the most important ones first.

Items in quadrant II in the diagram above should form the bulk of your activities (they've included some examples to give you an idea what should go in there)

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

(if you are on track, that is - you don't want to be repeating the wrong actions and expecting the right results!)

TOLERATE NO EXCUSES!

THE ALCHEMIST - PAULO COELHO

2013-08-19T08:53:00.002+00:00

This book is a must-read/listen-to. Listen and learn.

Thoughts On ... SELF IMAGE

2013-08-14T19:49:00.000+00:00

"Self Image" is on my mind.

Your current self image determines the level of your performance in life.

You ALWAYS act according to the way you see yourself.
Your ACTIONS reveal the way you perceive yourself, what you believe about yourself.

Many people quietly suffer from ''Low self image' or Inferiority Complex'- which stems from comparing yourself with others. If you think about it, that's rather dumb because there's really NO BASIS for comparing yourself with any other human being on earth - each person is unique, different.

Get over the fact that just as others are better than you in certain areas, you are better than others in certain areas. It's a fact of life. Else this would be one boring place to live. We're different so let's stop this madness of comparing ourselves with others.

Let us focus on valuing and appreciating ourselves as we are, on our way to becoming better versions of ourselves (life is a journey and should be one of constant improvement, not stagnation...)

When you have a healthy esteem of yourself, you are confident in all you do, you are free from the fear of making mistakes, fear of criticism, fear of man (what do they think of me), fear of rejection. Life truly becomes FUN! PLUS, your actions (which correspond to your self image), steer you in the direction of your goals, so life is successful too.

How You SHOULD See Yourself
The moment it dawns on you what it means that YOU were created in the image and likeness of God Almighty (YAH), your self image takes a quantum leap.

Matter of fact you should just stop reading right there and think about it for a second.

Say after me "I am made in the image and likeness of God Almighty" - try that statement on for size and let me know it feels, cos it's the TRUTH.

YOU - you were not an accident.
You're not here by mistake.
You are a masterpiece, fearfully and wonderfully made, by the Master Creator of the entire Universe - in HIS IMAGE & LIKENESS.

You're one of a kind - God's kind!

How dare you think little of yourself?
How dare you give a hoot as to what anyone else thinks about you?
How dare you let others belittle you?
Don't you dare forget this TRUTH about yourself, ever again!

You marvel at the wonders of creation, great and small:
- The mighty ocean waves
- The glorious sun as it rises and sets
- The intricate detail on the wings of a butterfly, the wisdom of the ant
- The beauty of the flowers, different types
- The tall proud trees lining the roads
- The majestic lion and other beasts
- And on and on and on - every other work of creation amazes and impresses you...

Yet you do not marvel at the one creation that surpasses ALL of the above - YOU.

YOU are the crowning glory of God's creation.
YOU top everything He ever crafted. I mean, after He made you, He just had to take a break so He could sit back and admire you. Then He said 'yup, they're all that!'
He didn't make any other creature IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS, but YOU, He did!

You oughta take a good look at yourself in the mirror and say out loud - I am fearfully and wonderfully made! I am God's masterpiece! I really AM "all that"!

Your old programming will probably squirm and resist this new programming when you start to speak and think this way, but persist in this and it will become habit.

Who Has Fed You Lies About Yourself?
Why have you believed lies about yourself?
What or who has made you FORGET Whose you are?

Regardless of how you have been treated, (and remember, your past DOES NOT EQUAL your future) regardless of the lies you've grown to believe about yourself - NOTHING changes the fact that YOU ARE made in the IMAGE AND LIKENESS of Yah.

Now of course you need to read The Book (Scripture, aka 'old testament') to find out what it says about you. Cos when you read The Book you will learn what it says about The One in whose image you've been made, see. Then you'll realise that 'hey if He's like that, and I'm made in His image, it means I'm like that too!'

Saturate your mind with the words of Scripture - the greatest 'Personal Development' and 'Success Manual' in existence - and there's just no way you will come out with a poor self image. It's not possible. What you think about, expands and becomes your reality. So think about who you really are, according to the Creator's Manual. Not according to anyone else.

This is not some pollyana-ish nonsense - this is stuff that WORKS.
It's not rah-rah BS. It's real life stuff. Whether or not you believe it doesn't change facts. So you might as well get with the program and start seeing yourself - not as man says you are, but as your very Maker says you are.

This is the key to unstoppable confidence (not arrogance, mind.)
This is the key to excellence and distinction in every area of your life.

Make No Apologies For Being All That!
You ARE all that and a big salad bowl!
You are NOT your mistakes, so don't beat yourself up - acknowledge them, learn from them, pick yourself up and move the heck on!

Remember, your self image is what determines your behaviour, your level of play in the game of life, and the sort of results you get as a result. That's just the way things are.

You sabotage yourself when you are not true to yourself.
So if you wish to act differently for the long term, cultivate a self image based on who you really are. Know thyself.
Then to your own self, be true.

When you begin to live up to your true image, the image and likeness of your Maker, when you begin to experience the results of this way of living, when excellence and success begin to chase you down as a result of your (actions based on your new, improved/improving, and authentic) self-image, you're going to attract haters.

That's alright though - folks are entitled to their own opinions (opinions are like noses anyway - everyone's got one, and they all have a couple of holes in them!) - so let the haters continue to hate (though the smart ones will figure that they too are made in Yah's image, and seek to see themselves in that light too, with great results also!)

Don't ever apologise for your success and unstoppable confidence when you begin to walk true to your real self image. Stand tall, be proud of who you are. Better yet be proud of WHOSE you are.

According to Nelson Mandela...
I leave you with a quote from the great Nelson Mandela:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-- Nelson Mandela"

How To Make It A Great Week!

2013-08-12T19:51:00.003+00:00

Make each day a great day and voila - come Saturday you find you've had a great week!
The best way to predict the future is to create it. So here's how to create a great future, one day at a time!

Tips to make today a great day.

Write out your goals at the start of today. This way you're focused for the rest of the day and less prone to give in to distractions.

Choose to be happy today (this is the day that Yah has made, I will [choose to] rejoice and be glad in it] said the psalmist. In fact just saying the above verse daily got me through many an otherwise dreadful day back when I worked in the Accident and Emergency department years ago, lol.

Today, Forgive anyone and everyone who's wronged you. Just release them totally and take no thought as to their payback. Leave that to the just Judge who says 'Vengeance is Mine'. Plus, when you forgive, you begin to heal from emotional scars caused by the thing they've done. So forgive, you're doing this for YOU. Selfish? Not really. It's called 'loving yourself' , for how can you love your neighbour if you don't first love YOU? Forgive yourself also, for the times you've messed up. Learn from past errors then push on.

Do all you can today, to reach your goals. No excuses. No mediocrity. Give today your all. Life gives you back in the proportion and spirit you give to it.

Do the best you can with each task you set out to do today. Better to do a few tasks very well than to do many half baked tasks. Be the last one to leave the office. Be the first one in. Refuse to engage in gossip while at work. Have fun with your kids or significant other (if you work hard, you gotta play hard too, yes?)

Today, make a list of things you are thankful for. And give God (Yah) thanks for each one. Top of the list - you made it to today!

Today, make a list of your 'wins' or successes (nothing is too little to go on this list) and give yourself a pat on the back. Come back to this list anytime you feel discouraged or feel you're no good or any such negative thought about yourself. Use this list to enforce your self image of a victorious you.

Today, make a conscious effort to nourish your body and mind with healthy foods and drinks and snacks. And books and audios and videos and conversations. Just do it for today (as long as the day is 'today'). Don't worry about tomorrow or yesterday.

Today, SMILE at everyone you come across and inwardly (or outwardly depending...) send out a blessing or greeting or even an 'I love you' their way. Don't be bothered about whether or not they smile back at you. It's YOUR happy hormones that get activated when you smile (so yes it's a rather selfish motive but hey, nobody gets hurt, right? Everybody benefits.)

Today, get off your backside and do some exercise. No excuses. Even if it's for 10 minutes. Just do it!

Today, choose to live FREE from fear of criticism, fear of failure, fear of mistakes, fear of rejection- you name it. Choose to live FREE from fear, period! Only then will you start living, see!

Today: take time out for YOU. Meditate and de-stress. 10-15 minutes of quality you time can do wonders.

Today: write out your list of tasks for tomorrow before bed...

Today: go to bed around 10pm if you can... sleep tight..good night... I'm outta here...!

The (Protective) Power of Negative Thinking!

2013-08-05T22:24:00.003+00:00

Much has been said in praise of 'the power of positive thinking' - and it's all good.

But do you realise that nature teaches us that there is a time for everything?
There's a time to think positive, and there is also a time to think negative - and a valid purpose for doing so too!

The Scriptures, which are the 'User's Manual' that came with each of us and gives us our 'operating system', teach that you shouldn't be only positive all the time - it'll kill ya to do so! (Ecclesiastes 7:16 - see below).

It's neither realistic nor healthy to be positive all the time. Plus it makes you some kind of freak. It's just not natural or realistic or wise.

Nature teaches us the true balance as it should be. Read on to find out more.

True wisdom, success, health and balance in life demand that you have some negativity in you at all times, for your survival.

Let me share a couple of examples from every day life that illustrate this. Jim Rohn got me thinking about this, by the way.

a) The Example Of The Weeds

If you have a garden, whether vegetable or flower garden, the crops you've planted are nice and lovely and positive, and that's all good and nice.

Weeds are a real threat to the health of your plants.

If you are positive alone, you deny the existence of the weeds - you keep 'affirming' that there are no weeds...so you do nothing about them, and they take over your garden, leaving you with no crops. Disaster!

So, you've got to be 'negative' enough to acknowledge that there are weeds in your garden, so you can deal with them and get rid of them.

Not negative in the sense that you see the weeds and start crying and worrying and fretting and feeling sorry for yourself or guilty and all that jazz.

No, you are 'negative' enough to acknowledge the presence of weeds and come up with an ACTION PLAN to get rid of them!

Here you see that being 'negative' has led you to protect and save your crops.

b) The Example Of The Blood Cells.

In your own body, you have various types of blood cells. For the sake of this post I'll focus on the red and white ones.

Red blood cells are nice and positive-minded, providing nourishment and oxygenation round the body.

White blood cells are negative minded - always on the lookout for invaders so that they can go get em!

If all we had were red blood cells (happy happy joy joy), or if you had fewer white cells than normal, you'd have nobody to fight against the invaders so you'd die an early death as your body would be overwhelmed by infections which you can't fight or defend yourself against.

Thankfully we also have white blood cells to maintain the balance, and fight any invaders.

Here again you see that having 'negative minded' white blood cells is protective (notice the pattern here?)

SIDE BAR

It is only when the negative is lacking, or when it is predominant that trouble ensues.

Using the red and white blood cells as an example, it is interesting to note that in a state of health, there are normally about 700 red blood cells to 1 white blood cell.

So while it's good to have white blood cells doing their 'negative' work to keep things in check, health - (and success )- dictate that there should be way more ('positive') red cells in circulation at all times, than ('negative') white cells.

END SIDE BAR

The Purpose of Negative Thinking
The point of this post is to remind us that it's ok to think negative - when the purpose of such 'negative thinking' is protective, as illustrated by nature in the examples above.

When the purpose of negative thinking is destructive eg guilt, hatred, malice, unforgiveness and such unproductive mindsets, that's wrong and will lead to disaster.

Use negative thinking for what it's there for. Your protection.

Don't use it for anything else.

As It Is Written In The "User's Manual":

"16Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself?

17Do not be wrong overmuch and do not be a fool – why die before your time?

18It is good that you should take hold of this and also not withhold your hand from the other.

For he who fears Alahym (God - YAHUAH) comes forth with all of them."

3 TIPS FOR SUCCESS

2013-08-02T04:11:00.002+00:00

TIPS FOR SUCCESS :

1) Tolerate NO Excuses.
Change is not always easy so our default setting is to start making excuses as to why we can't do something different.

Yet change is necessary unless you wish to remain where you are in life.

SO refuse to allow yourself get away with any excuses. You CANNOT make excuses and stay healthy at the same time.

You CANNOT make excuses AND get results at the same time - it's gotta be one or the other. Which will it be for you?

2) Daily Goal Setting.
Yes the year is almost over but it's not yet over!

You've still got time to finish stronger and more successful than when the year began.

One way to steer and propel you in that direction is to get into the habit of daily goal setting:

Write out your top 10 goals that you wish to achieve
Write each one in the present tense, in the first person "I am..." or "I have"
Write each one with a time deadline eg " By December 31 2013, I am..."
So one could read, for eg, "By December 31 2013, I have run 5k in less than 30 minutes"
Write out 10 goals in various areas of your life - rewrite them DAILY, first thing in the morning.

This gets your brain and mind focused and engaged in the direction you wish to go in life, on a daily basis. It also makes it easy for you to say 'no' to distractions and time wasters, so that you crack on with your plan. It puts you in the driver's seat of your life's direction.

Try this DAILY for the next 21 days and you will be amazed - so much so you'll do it daily for the rest of your life (which is the whole idea :) )

3) DISCIPLINE yourself to TAKE ACTION.
This is where the miracles take place - when the rubber meets the road.

See, you can have all the motivation you want, you can have all the positive thinking you want, all the enthusiasm you want - but unless it's all translated into ACTION, all is vanity.

That's why the first thing I put on this post is about tolerating no excuses.

Discipline is making yourself do what you gotta do when you gotta do it - whether or not you feel like doing it.

This is what sets the successful people apart from the unsuccessful ones.
They all don't feel like doing the same things, but the successful ones do them anyway. That's DISCIPLINE.

Discipline, Hard work, Persistence. These terms may not be popular in today's easypeasy, quick-fix culture, but they are the keys to lasting fulfilling, success in any area of life you could think of.

Choice is yours: bum around the rest of the year or get up, don't beat yourself about the mistakes you've made so far: get up, learn from the past, and push the heck on to the finish line, expecting VICTORY!

How To Make This Your Best Year YET!

2013-01-29T11:21:00.003+00:00

HOW TO MAKE THIS YOUR BEST YEAR YET!

You've probably made resolutions, yes? Just like you made them last year? Did you keep all the resolutions you made last year? Did you achieve all the goals you set out to achieve? If not, do you plan to do things differently this year? I hope so. Question is, do you know *what* to do differently?

You've probably heard the saying that 'if you keep doing the same things you'll keep getting the same results.' Einstein defined insanity as doing the same things yet expecting different results.

So if you desire different results this year, you've got to do things differently.

Here are 10 things you should be doing if you desire to see your resolutions or goals manifest this year.

1. Know who you are.

Quit focusing on outward things, which are really reflections of what goes on inside your mind. You are not your body. You are not your possessions. You are a spirit being made in Elohim's image. Your body houses the real you. Your natural state is perfect health and abundance. If your current (outward) reality does not reflect this, it is because you have let your outward circumstances control your life. Knowing and acknowledging who you really are, and the implications of this Truth, and meditating on what it means, will put you in a position to cause your physical reality to reflect your true inner reality: perfect health, joy and abundance.

2. Define clearly what you desire.

Do not limit yourself . I have not asked you to decide what you think you can have or what you think you deserve or what your mama thinks you should have. I am suggesting here, that you should state what *you* would like to be, do and have, which you don't have right now. Use your imagination - that's what it's there for. You have an open cheque, so to speak. Fill it in with what you choose. This is why you are told to 'Ask for whatsoever you desire...'. Let that desire be clear in your mind. You have not because you ask not. Chances are you've not asked because you've limited yourself in thinking you can't have it. Do ask. Do be clear.

3. Believe that what you desire is *already here*.

Everything in this world is energy. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but can be transformed from one form to another - if you took Physics classes you'll be familiar with this statement. Well here's a real-life application of this law.

Everything you desire, everything you could ever possibly wish for, already exists! It simply exists in intangible form, waiting for to do what you need to do in order to change it to its material version. You know how water can change from steam to liquid to solid (ice)? Different forms, same substance. Same thing applies to your desires. Believe this, and you're fortifying your 'power positioning'.

This is why you are told to '...believe that you receive what you ask for, and you shall have it...'

You will learn more about this and the other tips in this article in subsequent issues of this newsletter.

4. Practice daily gratitude for what you desire.

Being thankful for something before you receive it strengthens your faith, and keeps your mind focused on the object of your gratitude. Benefit: what you focus on is what you get (according to the 'Law of Attraction'.). An attitude of gratitude also puts into motion the Law of action and reaction - when you give thanks to Elohim for already granting you what you've asked for, you trigger a response from Him towards you - 'whatsoever you desire'.

5. Practice genuine forgiveness.

Here's what we're trying to do: cause the thing you desire to be attracted to you. Unforgiveness, grudges, malice, hatred, doubts and fear are examples of things that cause resistance and block the flow of that which you desire. So if you've got a grudge against someone, or a feeling of resentment, even if they've wronged you, forgive them. Do this for *you*. I love this saying "harbouring resentment or unforgiveness against someone is like you drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." So true. The only person to lose in this scenario is you. So just let go. Let them be. Let the blessings have a f*r*E*E, unobstructed channel to flow to you.

6. Practice genuine love.

Love everyone, whether you feel like it or not. Treat everyone exactly how you'd like to be treated.

As Og Mandino puts it in 'The Greatest Salesman In The World', when you meet or come across someone today, think to yourself 'I love you' - send everyone thoughts of love, whether or not you know them. Then relate to everyone with genuine love. Not sure what that means? Real love means treating others with kindness, patience, respect, belief in the best, not envious, rejoicing when others do well, not self-seeking, and thinking only good thoughts towards others. Treat everyone this way unconditionally and your 'power positioning' becomes the strongest it could possibly be.

7. Practice genuine detachment.

Don't be attached to anything or anyone. When you forgive and love people, don't do it expecting them to treat you the same way in return. Do it because it's in your best interest to do so. Do it knowing that you will receive, though not necessarily from the ones you've given to. Trust that Elohim will see to it that you get well compensated for everything you give. This is a sign of faith on your part.

If you're a business owner, I hope you see how this principle alone takes away any fear or pressure you may feel when prospecting or marketing your business.

If you're an employee, think how much more fun your job will be when you give it your best shot, not for your boss to notice, but because you know that Elohim, who notices all things, will reward you (with 'whatsoever you desire'), simply because of the good seed you're sowing all around you.

8. Practice daily sowing - Take ACTION.

Taking the right action positions you to receive what you desire and believe you'll receive.

That's why it's important to know what you desire in the first place. When you do, then you'll know which steps to take to help you get there.

With your mind set the right way (see tips 1 to 7 above), you have a solid foundation to base your actions on. The right actions, that is. Note that the right action means doing the things that move you closer to your goal, to the very best of your ability. Even if it's not apparent how something contributes to your goal (eg your current job may not have any immediate bearing to your desired goal), do everything the best way you know how. When all your actions are successful, they add up to a successful life.

9. Practice daily giving.

Give something of yourself everyday. Start each day determined to add value to someone's life. Everything you give is a seed sown, and you will reap it in multiples. It's a Universal Law - nothing you can do about it:). If you desire financial abundance, be a regular giver to those that are less fortunate, or to your place of spiritual support. Give, not because you expect back from the person you're giving to, but because you know that the supply is limitless and in giving you receive from, and can never outgive, Elohim. And here's a 'secret': the very act of giving, sends a message to your subconscious mind that 'I have'.

Remember, you attract what your subconscious mind dwells on. So by being a habitual giver, your predominant subconscious mindset is 'I have', and you attract more of that which you give. When you don't give because you're afraid you won't have enough, you send the message to your subconscious mind that 'I don't have enough', and you attract more lack as a result of your fear.

Super tip: start your 'giving' habit by sharing this article with at least one person you know - this information may be just what they need. It may kick start their breakthrough - and you will reap.

10. Practice Proactive Health Maintenance.

Your body is the only one you've got. None of your goals matter if it's in poor shape. Look after the temple you've been blessed with. One remarkable thing about the human body is that anytime you treat it the way Elohim its Maker intended, it rewards you with an amazing degree of health, energy, vitality (side effects: good body weight, incredible self- esteem, resistance to disease), and it displays the ability to heal itself as well. So take care of your body. Treat it with respect. Make time to do this otherwise you will be forced to make time for illness. First become health-conscious. Then follow that up with the right actions - healthy, balanced diet; cellular nutrition with quality supplementation; regular, moderate exercise.

Bonus tip:

Commit to lifelong learning.

Ever heard that 'leaders are readers' or 'earners are learners'? Both statements are true. Study personal development material, study material about your chosen field of endeavour, study the Scriptures (which I consider to be the 'User's Manual' for the human race...) study, study, study. Spend quality time each day studying and meditating on what you learn. You can only become a better human being by learning and applying what you learn.

Think you need discipline to achieve what you desire? You bet you will! But consider this: which price would you rather pay? The 'price' of discipline, or the price of regret? Whatever 'discipline' you require is short-term, with long-term benefits, unlike regret, which lasts long after the fact. Either way your decision and actions WILL cost ya.

If you go through the above list again, you'll realize that the area you need to discipline really is your thoughts. If you can control your thoughts and keep them on the right things, everything else will fall in place. So that's what you need to work on more than anything else this year.

Go for it - you deserve it, and you can do it (refuse to think different).

PS:
You may have noticed my use of the word 'Elohim' instead of the word 'God' here. If you're curious to know what this about, pop on over to my Believer's Blog and get the scoop re my exciting (spiritual) journey in the Truth.

The Only Bridge Between Your Dreams & Their Accomplishment...

2012-04-22T09:34:00.003+00:00

This is really summed up in the verse that says: "but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13)

Did you get that? Folks, right there is the root of the 'mind over matter' concept: in the context of physical exercise, for instance - you don't always feel like working out (the body doesn't wonna bother, ie 'matter') - but if you listen to your body and do what it wants...(ie if you 'walk in the flesh'), you'll die: sickness, dis-ease, depression, death.

However if you put to death the deeds of the body - if you make your body do what it should do anyway whether or not you feel like doing it - you will live (good health, long vibrant, active life!)

This principle (I just love principles and how they apply across the board, not just in one area of your life)...applies to any area you could think of in which you desire to succeed.

This principle has been variously called 'the secret of success', 'mind over matter', 'bridge to success', etc etc.

This is the principle of 'discipline', folks.

There's no 'shortcut' to your success. There's no quick fix. And there definitely are no 'overnight successes' in real life.

What is your goal?
What is your dream?
What do you need to do to make it happen?

Get this: it'll never happen unless you take ACTION regardless of how you feel about it.
Nike gets it right when they say 'Just Do It'!
Tell your body 'you're not the boss of me!' (remembering that the real 'you' is a spirit, and the body is just the vessel that houses the real you...), then show it who's boss.

This one principle right there differentiates the successful people in life from the failures in life, the 'haves' from the 'have-nots'.

One group of people do whatever they have to do, whatever it takes, no matter the cost and they inevitably achieve their goal, the other group only does what is convenient.

One group focuses on the desired outcome and push through to the finish line...the other group focuses on the process and give up at the first sign of difficulty.

Which group do you belong to?

Your choice!

Play A Different Tape!

2012-02-17T09:14:00.001+00:00

One of my clients feels down.

She says she feels worthless, like she is 'a piece of doo doo' (her own words), that the world would be better off without her in it. (Now, after I asked her other questions to make sure she had no actual suicidal intents or plans, and got the 'depression' side of things out of the way, the conversation continued.)

'What makes you feel so bad about yourself?' I asked her.

'I've been told over and over that I'm rubbish: my mom told me I'd never amount to anything because I was rubbish; my first husband told me I was rubbish and beat me up because of it, my second husband called me a rubbish wife and mother and also beat me up til I got the police to get him out, and now my daughter, who I love to bits, tells me when we have an argument, that I'm a rubbish mom, and she hopes she never grows up to be like me. And when you hear the same thing over and over again you start to believe it.'

Wow.

This poor woman had come to believe the worst about herself because of what she'd been told all her life.

She'd been listening to the same tape being played over and over albeit in different players (by different people).

If only she knew then what I'm about to tell you now (I did share the following info with her though, and it made a big difference, but more on that later...for now, read on.).

What she did not realize was that within her own statement lay the key to her breakthrough.

The key sentence which hid the solution to her situation was: 'when you hear the same thing enough times/over and over, you start to believe it.'

That statement is not only true, but it has a sound scientific basis behind it, which I won't go into today.

The human mind is an amazing machine.
When you hear the same thing over and over again, you really do believe it to be true. Whether or not it really is true. Your mind doesn't distinguish between fact and reality. It just accepts whatever you feed it, and causes it to grow as you continue to think about that thing/hear the same thing repeatedly. And what you believe about yourself determines how you feel (your emotions), your actions (behaviour) and eventual results in life.

Do you begin to see how you can manipulate this fact to your own benefit?

The beauty of this is that your mind doesn't care who's saying it, as long as it hears it over and over again, it comes to take it as gospel truth.

In other words, it doesn't matter who's playing the tape, your mind accepts the programming anyway.

So the key to my client's breakthrough, and to yours, is to change the tape you're listening to. Get proactive and become the player of the right type of tape, and refuse to listen to other, contrary tapes.

Be like Russell Crowe's character in 'A Beautiful Mind', who, by the end of the movie had learnt how to overcome his demons such that even though the hallucinations remained, they did not affect his life as they'd done earlier.The negative tape-players won't go away - they'll always be there, but when you've mastered the tapes you listen to, their nasty voices won't affect you at all. You'd be an overcomer.

So begin to listen to a different tape from today. Be the player of the tape, find other players who are playing the same or similar tape and hang around them, read books which 'play the same tape', listen to audios and watch videos which 'play the same tape'.

This is called proactive, creative, bombardment. It doesn't matter who's playing the tape - what matters is the content of the tape. Make it empowering, self-esteem-building, content.

It's the only way to overcome the effects of negative programming which can have such devastating effects on your life.

I leave you this week with a thought.

The tape you listen to determines the calibre of people and circumstances you attract into your life. This woman had listened to the wrong tape all her life, and, having built a strong belief based on the content of that tape, she'd attracted men who had continued playing the same tape, leading to abusive relationships with men who debased her and reinforced her negative beliefs about herself.

What calibre of relationships (friends, spouse or partner, etc) are you surrounded by right now? How do people at work/school relate to you?
What does your answer say about the sort of tape you've listened to all your life?

Isn't it time you changed tapes and started playing one that says only empowering, success-attracting, stuff? Isn't it time you listened to, surrounded yourself with, people who played the same sort of tape?

Remember, your thoughts determine your behaviour and your behaviour determines the RESULTS you experience in your life (you will NEVER outperform your current self-image or perception of reality...) so make sure the thoughts you entertain are wholesome, productive, empowering ones.

If you don't like the outcomes in your life, go back into your thoughts and change them. Replace the stinkin thinkin with whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; whatsoever if of virtue and if there be any praise, for this will in turn reflect in your life!

Your Best Year Yet! Pt 2

2012-01-08T01:29:00.001+00:00

6. Practice genuine love.

Love everyone, whether you feel like it or not. Treat everyone
exactly how you’dlike to be treated.

As Og Mandino puts it in ‘The Greatest Salesman In The World’, when you meet or come across someone today, think to yourself ‘I love you’ – send everyone thoughts of love, whether or not you know them. Then relate to everyone with genuine love.

Not sure what that means? Real love means treating others with kindness, patience, respect, belief in the best, not envious, rejoicing when others do well, not self-seeking, and thinking only good thoughts towards others.

Treat everyone this way unconditionally and your ‘power positioning’
becomes the strongest it could possibly be.

7. Practice genuine detachment.

Add caption

Don’t be attached to anything or anyone. When you forgive and love people, don’t do it expecting them to treat you the same way in return. Do it because it’s in your best interest to do so. Do it
knowing that you will receive, though not necessarily from the ones you’ve given to.

Trust that God to do the rest.

If you’re a business owner for instance, you see how this principle alone takes away any fear or pressure you may feel when prospecting or
marketing your business.

As long as you're doing your best, let God be God and handle the rest.

If you’re an employee, think how much more fun your job will be when you give it your best shot, not for your boss to notice, but because you know that God will reward you (with ‘whatsoever you desire’), simply because of the good seed you’re sowing all around you.

8. Practice daily sowing – Take ACTION.

Taking the right action positions you to receive what you desire and believe you’ll receive.

That’s why it’s important to know what you desire in the first place. When you do, then you’ll know which steps to take to help you get there.

With your mind set the right way (see tips 1 to 7 above), you have a solid foundation to base your actions on. The right actions, that is.

Note that the right action means doing the things that move you closer to your goal, to the very best of your ability.

Even if it’s not apparent how something contributes to your goal (eg your current job
may not have any immediate bearing to your desired goal), do everything
the best way you know how. When all your actions are successful, they
add up to a successful life.

Positive thinking is all well and good but you can think positive until you get brain cramps or you turn blue, but if you don’t back your thoughts with the right words and the right ACTIONS, nothing happens.

9. Practice daily giving.

Give something of yourself everyday. Start each day determined to add value to someone’s life. Everything you give is a seed sown, and you will reap it in multiples. It’s a Universal Law – nothing you can do about it:).

If you desire financial abundance, be a regular giver to
those that are less fortunate, or to your church or other place of spiritual support.

Give, not because you expect back from the person
you’re giving to, but because you know that the supply is limitless and in giving you receive from God. And here’s a ’secret’: the very act of giving, sends a message to your subconscious mind that ‘I have’.

Remember, you attract what your subconscious mind dwells on.
So by being a habitual giver, your predominant subconscious mindset
is ‘I have’, and you attract more of that which you give. When you don’t
give because you’re afraid you won’t have enough, you send the message
to your subconscious mind that ‘I don’t have enough’, and you attract
more lack as a result of your fear.

Addendum: Giving goes hand in hand with good stewardship: you've got to be wise in your stewardship of what you've got (finances, etc), for only in that context will your giving bring about GREAT results for you! More on this in future editions of the 'Health & Success Newsletter', as well as the ladies 'Weekly Success Tips for Women' newsletter.

10. Practice Proactive Health Maintainance.

Your body is the only one you’ve got.

None of your goals matter if it’s in poor shape. Look after the temple you’ve been blessed with. One

remarkable thing about the human body is that anytime you treat it the way God intended, it rewards you with an amazing degree of health, energy, vitality (side effects: good body weight, incredible self-

esteem), and it displays the ability to heal itself as well.

So take care of your body. Treat it with respect.

First become health-conscious. Then follow that up with the right actions –healthy, balanced diet; cellular nutrition with quality supplementation; regular, moderate exercise and the rest of the Pillars described here: The 8 Pillars of A Healthy Life

Bonus tip:

Commit to lifelong learning.

Ever heard that ‘leaders are readers’ or ‘earners are learners’? Both statements are true. Study personal development material, study material about your chosen field of endeavour, study the Bible, study, study, study.

Spend quality time each day studying and meditating on what you learn. You can only become a better human
being by learning and applying what you learn.

Think you need discipline to achieve what you desire? You bet you will!

But consider this: which price would you rather pay? The ‘price’ of discipline, or the price of regret? Whatever ‘discipline’ you reqiure is short-term, with long-term benefits, unlike regret, which lasts long after the fact.

If you go through the above list again, you’ll realize that the area you need to discipline really is your thoughts. If you can control your thoughts and keep them on the right things, everything else will fall in place. So that’s what you need to work on more than anything else this year.

Go for it – you deserve it, and you can do it (refuse to think different).

Best wishes, and blessings to ya!

Make this your best year yet! Pt 1

2012-01-08T01:08:00.001+00:00

You’ve probably heard the saying that ‘if you keep doing the
same things you’ll keep getting the same results.’ So if you
desire different results this year, you’ve got to do things
differently. If not, you’d qualify to be called ‘insane’
according to Albert Einstein, who defined insanity as
‘doing the same things but expecting different outcomes’.

So take each day at a time with thanksgiving and praise
to the One who’s given it to you and then do what the rest
of this article says…

Here are 10 foundational principles you must be determiined to apply if you desire to see your resolutions or goals manifest this year, if you desire to
make this your best year YET!

1. Know who you are.

Quit focusing on outward things, which are really reflections of
what goes on inside your mind. You are not your body. You are not your possessions.

You are a spirit being made in God’s image.

Your body houses the real you. Your natural state is perfect health and abundance. If your current (outward) reality does not reflect this, it is because you have let your circumstances control your life.

Knowing and acknowledging who you really are, and the implications
of this Truth, and meditating on what it means, gives you a tremendously
powerful positive self-image (which determines your performance level) and
puts you in a position to cause your physical reality to reflect your true inner
reality: perfect health, joy and abundance.

2. Define clearly what you desire.

Do not limit yourself here. I have not asked you to decide what you think you can have or what you think you deserve or what your mama thinks you should have. I am suggesting here, that you should state what *you* would like to be, do and have, which you don’t have right now.

There is unlimited supply from God so do not hesitate to ask big. (You have not because you have not...)

Use your imagination – that’s what it’s there for. You
have an open cheque, so to speak. Fill it in with what you choose.

This is why you are told to ‘Ask for whatsoever you desire…’.
Let that desire be clear in your mind.

3. Believe that what you desire is *already here*.

Everything in this world is energy. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but can be transformed from one form to another – if you took Physics classes you’ll be familiar with this statement.

Well here’s a real-life application of this law.

Everything you desire, everything you could ever possibly wish
for, already exists! It simply exists in intangible form, waiting for to do what you need to do in order to change it to its material version. You know how water can change from steam to
liquid to solid (ice)? Different forms, same substance.

Same thing applies to your desires. Believe this, and you’re fortifying your ‘power positioning’.

This is why you are told to ‘…believe that you receive what you ask for, and you shall have it…’

You will learn more about this and the other tips in this article in the FREE newsletters Weekly Success Tips For Women and The Health & Success Newsletter...

4. Practice daily gratitude for what you desire.

Being thankful for something before you receive it strengthens your faith, and keeps your mind focused on the object of your gratitude.

Benefit: what you focus on is what you get more of (or 'what you focus on expands').

An attitude of gratitude also puts into motion the Law of action and reaction – when you give thanks to God for already granting you what you’ve asked for, you trigger a response from Him towards you – ‘whatsoever you desire’.

5. Practice genuine forgiveness.

Here’s what we’re trying to do: cause the thing you desire to be attracted to you.

Unforgiveness, grudges, malice, hatred, doubts and
fear are examples of things that cause resistance and block the flow of that which you desire.

So if you’ve got a grudge against someone, or a feeling of resentment, even if they’ve wronged you, forgive them.

Think about how much God has forgiven you - who are you not to forgive another?

I'm not saying it's easy to do this, but it's a conscious decision you have to make, to forgive someone, even if that someone is YOU.

Do this for *you*. I love this saying “harbouring resentment or unforgiveness against someone is like you drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” So true. The only person to lose in this scenario is you. So just let go. Let them be. Let the blessings
have a free, unobstructed channel to flow to you.

Next post concludes this list of principles. Let me know your thoughts on them.

Please put them into ACTION. I so want you to excel this year - I am fully persuaded that you've come into this planet packed with purpose, potential and ABILITY to succeed.

My First GREEN Smoothie :)

2012-01-07T15:08:00.001+00:00

My first Green Smoothie! Yum!!
Packed full of nutrients and fiber as fresh as can be, and oh so filling!

Ingredients (all raw):

Broccoli
Celery
Cucumber
Apples
Ginger
Coconut milk

All you need is a good blender: chop the veggies and apples into small pieces (roughly the size of small ice cubes, put them all in the blender, add enough coconut milk to give the smoothie the degree of thickness you're comfortable with.

Play around with all sorts of raw veggie combinations, sweetening with some fruit, to make it more palatable.

Have fun with it, that's the main thing. Variety is also key, and keeps you from getting bored.

Now you have another way to pack in your '5-a day' in one glass! After this glass, any other veg or fruit you eat that day (eg the salad I had for lunch or the steamed veg i had with salmon for dinner) is just a bonus!

How about you? Have you tried any green smoothie combination? Do share your ideas below!

Just Do It! (Complete version)

2012-01-06T09:54:00.003+00:00

Just Do It! - Speech by Art Williams

2012-01-06T09:51:00.000+00:00

Diligence and Discipline!

2011-12-24T12:29:00.001+00:00

This success message was inspired by the study of the 24th Chapter of Proverbs.

Listen, be encouraged and most importantly, TAKE ACTION!

Have You Got Syndrome X??

2011-12-05T22:32:00.000+00:00

No, it's not the title of the latest sci-fi movie. 'Syndrome X', also known as 'The Metabolic Syndrome', is a collection of symptoms which, when they occur together in one person, indicate a predisposition to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Experts estimate that about 25% of the population have the condition - not surprising when you consider the general trend towards unhealthy, inactive lifestyles today. That means that 1 in 4 people have this potentially fatal condition.

Scary, huh? It's true though, so you'd better be aware of it, because you or someone you know, may be at risk.

How do you know if you've got Syndrome X? The symptoms include:

-Excessive fat in and around your abdomen ('central obesity'): yup, those love handles are danger signals, baby!

-Blood fat disorders - low HDL ('good cholesterol') and high triglycerides.

-Raised blood pressure (130/85 or higher)

-Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (where your body can't properly use insulin or blood sugar): this right here is actually thought to be the underlying cause of the syndrome itself...it's also why the syndrome is called 'prediabetes'...

-Easy clotting of blood.

Because the syndrome is generally associated with insulin resistance, the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. When you are resistant to insulin, your body tends to store fat. When you're sensitive to insulin (the normal state), your body releases any excess fat available.

Two factors which lead to insulin resistance are excessive fat (overweight people are more likely to be resistant than others) and physical inactivity.

What can you do TODAY to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and the other serious illnesses related to Syndrome X?

-Get active. Begin to walk every day. Briskly. Start with 15 minute walks each day, then gradually increase until you can walk for 30 minutes each day. Don't make excuses now: if it's too cold outside then walk inside your house, up the stairs, etc. You don't need a fancy gym membership to get active, just find something you enjoy doing and stick to it. Then incorporate strength training exercises every other day, such as the six simple ones described in this post...

-Start eating right. Eat at least 5 times a day, and make the portions small.

--Eat only when you're hungry and stop eating once you feel full.
--Cut out all grains and processed carbohydrates, eat lots of unprocessed foods esp vegetables and fruit (in the ration of 3 veg: 2 fruit. or 4veg:1 fruit per day if you are overweight...),
--Eat lean cuts of meat unless you're eating grass fed, free range organic animals free from hormones and pesticides and antibiotics.
--Get a decent supply of healthy fats (eg saturated fats from sources above, coconut oil for cooking, olive oil - raw, unheated; mono -unsaturated fats)
-- Drink lots of water.
--Take high quality nutritional supplements which are guaranteed to be potent and bioavailable (easily absorbed into your bloodstream), to round out/complete your healthy eating regimen.

-Bottom line here: if you're overweight, you need to lose the excess fat and get physically active in order to make your body sensitive to the insulin it makes. Doing this greatly reduces your risk of such life debilitating conditions as Diabetes, Heart Disease, Strokes and the like.

Even if you're not overweight, make sure you're physically active and eating the right type of food in the right amounts.

Don't put this off any longer.

Syndrome X is a real and present danger and you could be at risk.

Stop reading this right now, and go for your 15 minute walk. This minute. Go ahead - do it NOW.

How To Have Fun To Succeed!

2011-12-04T22:28:00.001+00:00

Life is an amazing trip. We all start out equal, with the same access to God (who some people refer to as the Universal Mind), with the same potential to manifest the outcomes we desire and bring them into reality, with the same potential to enjoy a life of abundance and joy.

We actually start out full of joy and anticipation - look at any healthy newborn baby and notice the fascination he has with the world around him. This fascination grows with every passing day. The simplest things make him happy, and when his first toothless smile appears, it's one of the best pictures of contentment you could ever imagine.

This baby grows into a toddler and young child with lots of dreams and imagination and visions of what could be.

As baby grows, he begins to receive input from all around him - his parents, siblings, relatives, school teachers and mates, the media - all bombard him with negative programming that distorts his view of the world. This same world, which he was most excited about earlier on, to the growing youngster now seems to be a bad place with nothing but hard times ahead.

Gone is the spontaneous joy and fascination with life.

Fast forward to today - where you are.

You've arrived at a place where you're asking whether this is all there is to life. You've lost your sense of wonder, your joy of simply being alive. You've definitely forgotten your dreams and are now skeptical of anyone who talks about them.

But your life doesn't have to be this way.

You can have an absolute blast every single day of your life, regardless of your circumstance or what's happening to you.

This is one of the greatest 'discoveries' of our generation - that you can literally create your own experience by changing your thoughts. Amazing, simple, but powerful and TRUE.

In 2006 successfully returned to medical practice after a 6 year break. My very first job fresh out of my long career break was in a busy Accident and Emergency department.

None of my colleagues had been out of medical practice, yet they were terrified of starting a new post in the Accident and Emergency department. They complained about the rota, complained about their allocated annual leave, had nothing good to say about the job.

I on the other hand, came to practice armed with a formidable mental attitude: I made a conscious, deliberate, decision that I was going to be happy and grateful every single day. I looked at the rota and saw that it was perfect and family friendly enough for me to continue home-schooling my son. I was (still am) constantly grateful to God for the opportunity to help so many people feel better on the inside *and* on the outside every day at 'work'.

The result?

Come my first day - busy day in the ER. I *knew* it was going to be a great day, because I had decided in advance to make it so. Nothing was going to take my joy from me. Not even the fact that (having been out of work for so long) I'd forgotten my stethoscope at home! I simply borrowed one off of a colleague and got on with the job.

I had such a fun time, other new colleagues were marvelling at the ease with which I had returned and dug right into the job. Obviously I still have a lot of memory refreshing to do, but with my fun and joyful attitude, it came back so easily to me. Before long I was at the top of my game once again, and have continued to soar at that level and above, since.

Same can be your daily story - decide today that you will have a fun day, and you will be very happy today no matter what. It's not what happens to you that determines or affects your joy - it's the way you interpret it that makes all the difference.

It's important for you to make this decision in advance.

When you do, then absolutely nothing can mess with your joy (unless you let it). Rather you become a source of joy for those around you.

Also, this attitude is most conducive for peak performance: you are better able to perform at your best in your job, business, studies, relationship, etc when you're in the right state of mind.

And here's the icing on the cake: a state of fun, ease and happiness/joy is the perfect (mental) environment for you to manifest your dreams. It is the most resourceful state for you to 'receive' instructions on what to do in order to make your dreams come true.

Easily, effortlessly, and fun!

Life *is* good if you desire it to be. Make it a great day!

Laughter instead of mourning! Your focus and results are your choice!!

2011-11-26T16:42:00.000+00:00

My dad passed away a few days ago.

He'd been unwell, and I'd been taking care of him until the day before when he got suddenly even more unwell and I had to take him to hospital via ambulance. He passed onto a better life on the 22nd of November 2011.

I wept on the 22nd but have felt increasingly happy since then.

Reason: I realize more and more each day, that passing on was the best thing for daddy at this time - he'd been suffering from his illness which also caused him a lot of pain on most days you see, so it was a mercy that God cut short his suffering and took him from his earthly body. The real daddy lives on - he was always a spirit anyway - the body was only a temporary vehicle for that spirit.

Knowing this, knowing that daddy is now truly free from pain, sickness, stress and all the rubbish that earthly life can throw at you sometimes, makes me truly happy that he's gone home to Jesus.

What's this got to do with your success?

Everything!

Your focus determines your emotions and your actions.

I have chosen to focus on the good life that daddy led, the fact that my brothers and I were able to spend time with him and keep him as comfortable as humanly possible while he was with us, and the even better life he is leading right now and for eternity, and that pleases me - dude's having a blast presently! This focus has empowered me to move on with life, to be full of joy, praise and thanksgiving to God, and also to console and comfort others touched by dad's passing.

I also know to choose my words carefully cos they also affect my focus. I refuse to say I've lost my dad - how can you lose someone when you know exactly where they are? Besides, 'loss' conjures sad images and emotions - not my cup of tea. No, I've not lost my dad. I know exactly where he is!

So I refer to his passing as just that. I don't even say he's dead anymore, cos I now realize that no, he's not! His body (earthly vehicle/container) may be, but he was never really his body anyway.

Dear reader, there are some profound revelations in the above paragraphs, if you are willing to see:

- You are not your body: your body is simply a vehicle that transports the real you, around on earth.
- You are a spirit. God made you in His image, and He's a spirit.
- This means that you, the real you, are perfect - no sickness, no weakness, no disease, no sadness or lack, no stress or grief etc; the real you is perfectly whole - abundantly wealthy, abundantly joyful, abundantly complete in every way!

The implication of this truth for you is tremendous:
- Your self esteem, your self image, gets a super turbo boost when this truth dawns on you. This is who you are, dear reader. A spirit made in God's image. This is why your thoughts are powerful, and become things. It's why your words are powerful, and come to pass. You're all of that, baby!

- Your self image determines the level of your performance in life. You can never perform above or beyond the image you have of yourself. Knowing that you've been made in God's image empowers you to know beyond a shadow of doubt that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength, that you are above only, not beneath, the head and not the tail, etc, etc. You rock! You excel!

- Knowing who you really are, and focusing on this regardless of what the outside world looks like, empowers you to bring into physical reality, that which you are focusing on.

I'll let you chew on that for a while.

For now I'd like you to please think on these things, be thankful for who you are, and start acting like who you really are.

Your life, your success, depends entirely on it.

God bless ya!

How To Modify Your Genes!

2011-11-17T20:42:00.000+00:00

Common medical 'knowledge' says you inherit certain conditions from your ancestors, that you have certain 'genetic predispositions'.

The problem with conventional 'knowledge' is that the masses accept it without challenging or questioning it.

This is dangerous.

No matter what anyone says, you are ultimately responsible for the physical manifestations you experience. We each are.

Your thoughts directly *and* indirectly affect your health.

We've known for a long time that thoughts somehow indirectly affect our state of health - stories abound as to how people 'healed themselves' of life-threatening conditions by applying certain thought-processes (faith-based prayer included).

Way back in medical school I learnt about how the 'higher centers' of the central nervous system were controlled by 'external factors' such as stress.

We now know and can now prove scientifically, how thoughts directly affect our bodies at the cellular level. This is thanks to ground-breaking research in molecular biology and neuroimaging. Epigenetics is showing some pretty fascinating results.

The effects of your thoughts can now be seen by state-of-the art imaging techniques.

What's more, the Human Genome Project yielded some even more fascinating findings: they discovered that your genes do not just express themselves according to some ancestral 'programming'. Rather, what determines the way your genes are expressed, is your thoughts.

Specifically, your perception of things.

For instance, if your dad suffers from cardiovascular disease and his father died from the same condition, conventional thinking says 'it runs in your family'.

Current science now proves that 'it runs in your family' because your (affected) family family members have accepted it as their fate.

There goes that same theme again: you get what you believe. Your belief becomes your reality. You are what you think.

If your perception of a diagnosis of breast cancer is one of acceptance and resignation, you've effectively written your death sentence. If your perception of such a diagnosis is that 'I've already beat this thing' or 'My God is bigger than cancer so it's not a problem! I'm a victor in this situation, and those cancer cells need to 'be afraid, be very afraid!' '- then you've beat it and this will manifest in your body also. I can personally testify to the validity of this.

I bet you've heard of at least one person who 'had a fighting spirit' and so 'overcame' or 'conquered' the same malignancy.

The message in all of this is that you can literally modify the way your genes express themselves. You can choose your thoughts to reflect the physical reality you desire.

As a doctor, I can examine you and give you a diagnosis that I've been trained to give you. However, you have the option to accept my words as the final word on your condition, OR you can choose a better 'diagnosis' and prognosis for yourself.

Even if something 'runs in your family', you can decide *now* to end that trend by being the first person fr*e*e from that condition.

Now I'm the first one to tell you that this is much easier said than done, but it sure beats the alternative. Plus, if you persist in re-programming your mind and re-conditioning your thoughts, you will definitely see the results you desire.

This takes commitment and persistence, and a stubborn determination that no matter how things look on the outside, you will stick to your inner vision of perfect, true health until it manifests on the outside.

Can you do it? You bet!

Is it going to take work on your part? Absolutely, but isn't it worth the effort? Aren't you worth it? You deserve to be perfectly healthy, to function the way you were created to function. So take the first step today and decide to modify your genetic (and other) expressions.

This is the essence of The First Pillar of A Healthy Life, folks. It sets you up, puts you in a frame of mind to ACT on the remaining pillars of a truly healthy life.

Dr Kem Thompson is a General Practitioner, Author and Speaker. She specializes in Healthy Lifestyle medicine and is passionate about health & fitness, personal development, success principles and Women's issues.

Subscribe today to her no-nonsense FREE 'Health & Success Newsletter' to receive practical tips, techniques and strategies you can use NOW to improve your health and life. You will receive 2 thank-you gifts when you subscribe at http://www.doctorkem.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/162726

Yes, YOU Can!

2011-11-17T18:50:00.000+00:00

If you could change one thing in your life today, what would it be? Why don't you have some of the things you'd like to have, and why do you have some? What's the reason for the inconsistency?

Do you find yourself wondering what people think of you? Has that line of thinking ever made you doubt your abilities and your potential?

Do you ever catch yourself thinking 'I can't do that, I'm not good enough' or 'that level of success and prosperity is for them, not for poor old me', or other similar thoughts?

One thing you must realize is that your success in any venture starts with your thoughts about it. If you think you can succeed (in losing weight, stopping smoking, securing a high-income- paying job, finding your ideal partner, etc, etc), you're already on your way to getting what you want.

If you think you can't succeed, if you doubt that you can, you've just set yourself up for failure and self sabotage.

Like Henry Ford said, ''if you think you can or if you think you can't, you're probably right'. It's up to you to make things happen in your life.

The way your mind works, it accepts whatever you feed it as reality. Your subconscious doesn't argue with you if you feed it with negative thoughts or positive thoughts - it just accepts it and goes about helping you making it manifest. So if you feed it with thoughts of success (eg 'I CAN lose weight healthily', 'I CAN stop smoking', 'I CAN find a high- income paying job, etc, etc), it will work to make it happen.'

You'll become alert to opportunities (and they are all around you if you'd only open your eyes and look) to move you towards your desired results.

Conversely, if you feed your mind with negative thoughts such as the ones above, your mind doesn't bother to find solutions to your problems. It closes up. You wouldn't recognize an opportunity to help you out if it slapped you in the face.

You know, it takes the same amount of effort to think positive thoughts as it takes to think negative thoughts. If positive thoughts help move you towards your goals while negative ones move you further away from them, it makes sense to dwell on the positive.

~*~SIDEBAR~*~

Positive thinking is but a step in the journey called 'success'. You need to back your thoughts with ACTION. You can think positive thoughts until your brain gets the cramps but if all you do is think and not act, you'd be wasting your time.

The good thing about positive thinking is that it puts you in the right frame of mind to take appropriate action.

~*~END of SIDEBAR~*~

Mark Twain (and later Napoleon Hill) said that 'What the human mind can conceive and believe, the human mind can achieve'.

The problem comes up after conceiving a potentially great idea. The little voice inside you starts saying things like 'that's a crazy idea' or 'nobody's ever done that before -who do you think you are?'. Your friends and family make fun of your idea. You begin to get discouraged and to think 'maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all'.

What should you do when this happens? Take control of your thoughts, that's what. Your mind has conceived it, remember, so your mind CAN achieve it. You just need to line up your thoughts and actions with what you want to do.

Tell all those naysayers (internal and external) that you will succeed in reaching your goal.

The next line of thinking after 'I CAN' is 'I WILL'.

Feed yourself with thoughts like that about yourself (and act accordingly) and you'll see your confidence, awareness and productivity soar. You'll find yourself attracting those things you want into your life.

Who says you can't make it? Tell them you CAN and you WILL. Then go out there and make it happen.

Dr Kem Thompson is a General Practitioner, Author and Speaker. A qualified professional Performance Coach, she specializes in Healthy Lifestyle medicine and is passionate about Health & Fitness, Personal Development, Success Principles and Women's issues.

How To Shrink Your Fibroids Naturally

2011-11-17T18:08:00.000+00:00

I get asked a lot to advice women on how to shrink their fibroids without surgery.

So here're my top tips. But first, a bit of background on the issue.

A fibroid is a benign tumour of the smooth muscle cells of your uterus (womb).

A woman can have just one or multiple fibroids, in various parts of the womb as you can see from the diagram below.

However the point of this article is not to tell you all about what a fibroid is - the focus is to tell you how to get rid of it without getting rid of your womb!

Symptoms of fibroid include these main ones: (if you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor to make sure there's no other cause for them)

- Heavy periods

- Painful periods

- Pelvic pain

- If large and pressing on your urinary bladder you may experience the feeling of going to pee often, and not emptying your bladder completely

NATURAL WAYS TO SHRINK FIBROIDS

The basis for this is controlling oestrogen levels in your body because one major factor in fibroids is excess oestrogens and oestrogen-like effects. This is why fibroids naturally shrink when a woman reaches the menopause - your level of estrogens decreases after the menopause.

Note that the reasons for fibroids in your case may be different for the reasons in another woman, as you will see below from the lists of causes of increased oestrogens. So you'd need to have a discussion with a Healthy Lifestyle Medicine practitioner to ascertain what is the cause in your case, if it's not clear to you after reading this post:

Causes of increased oestrogens

- Stress

- Overweight/obesity

- Contraceptive pills (the combined pill)

- Pregnancy

Causes of increased oestrogen effect

- Substances that mimic oestrogens in your body, such as pesticides used in non-organic foods, soy hormones used in non organic beef, poultry, etc.

How to Shrink your fibroids, naturally

(First make sure your doctor has assessed you to confirm there is no other gynaecological condition you're suffering from, apart from the fibroids).

The 8 Pillars of A Healthy Life will guarantee you to be free from symptoms of fibroid, because it takes care of these components:

a) Healthy Liver
This includes avoiding things which not only contain oestrogens, but also things which mimic oestrogens, such as certain toxins (such as the pesticides used in non-organic foods) and pollutants (which is why a healthy liver is essential to your total health: it helps your body get rid of these toxins, thus contributes to shrinking your fibroids if this is the cause in your case.)

Practising the 8 Pillars keeps your liver detoxified. In addition, if you suffer from fibroids, I would recommend that you take a high quality supplement that contains nutrients that support your liver function.

b) Healthy Weight
Excess oestrogens are stored in fat cells. Fibroids have been shown to occur more often in overweight women. If this is the cause for your fibroids, then when you lose weight, your fibroids will shrink.

An overweight body is an unhealthy body. The whole point of The 8 Pillars of a Healthy Life is to empower you to transform your body into a healthy body: weight loss is a pleasant 'side effect' of this process.

An 'aside' I have to throw in here: excess sugar gets stored as fat, thanks to the hormone insulin...so when you minimize your sugar intake, you help your body release excess fat. All helps win the battle against the 'broids.

For more on this, sign up for the FREE women's newsletter 'Success Tips for Women' over at www.totalsuccessforwomen.com .

c) Anti inflammatory state
If your fibroids are due to your being in a hyperinflammatory state (which can be the case if you're, among other things, eating the wrong types of food)…eating naturally anti-inflammatory foods may help, eg purified fish oil capsules, cumin, rosemary, hops, oats help reduce this.

Certain lifestyle habits keep your body in a hyperinflammatory state. For instance eating a lot of processed foods, eg refined carbohydrates, processed meats, etc contribute to this. Lack of physical activity also contributes to this because then your body is unable to produce the substances that protect you from this effect. So get moving, ladies - exercise is good for more than just weight loss!

d) Healthy Nutrition

In addition to the basic healthy nutrition guidelines you follow in The 8 Pillars of A Healthy Life, you need to :

Avoid food that has been injected with hormones eg meat, poultry.

Eat only (or mostly) organic foods as these are free from pesticides

Include non GM soy isoflavones (about 80mg/day) in your diet.

e) Stress Management

This is part of the 1st Pillar of A Healthy Life.

Stress leads to release of cortisol. Cortisol increases fatty tissues and fat cells. Fat cells store excess oestrogens. Stress management is a way to manage your weight also.

Stress is really your (chosen) response to an event. So empower yourself today: choose to respond to events in ways that promote health and healing for yourself, rather than ways that cause your stress hormone level to be sky high.

f) Sunshine!

The 6th Pillar of A Healthy Life.

Vitamin D has been shown to halt the growth of fibroid cells, which could explain why fibroids are commoner in black women - dark skinned people make less vitamin D and thus have insufficient levels in their bodies for it to do its protective work.

Vitamin D helps your immune system suppress tumour activity. Fibroids are tumours (benign ones)

So take a blood test with your doctor (ask for 'Serum (25,OH) Vitamin D levels) and if your levels are below normal, take a good vitamin D3 supplement at a dose of 2000IU per day.

g) Miscellaneous

Needless to say you must stop smoking and other such unhealthy habits, and keep your alcohol intake to the barest minimum, as these contribute to your worsening fibroids.

You CAN beat this, ladies!

You CAN shrink your fibroid!

You CAN avoid needless surgery!

Give your body a chance to do what it does best: heal and restore itself. However, it can't do this if it is receiving less than optimal treatment from you.

That's why I've written this overview on The 8 Pillars of a Healthy Life to stir you up to treating your body the right way - when you do, your body will reward you with health. No more fibroids!

Here's to your Total Health!

Dr Kem

www.doctorkem.com

The Difference Between Champions and Losers...

2011-11-17T15:28:00.000+00:00

Champions are champions because they do what they have to do to win, whether they feel like doing it or not.

This is one thing that differentiates winners from losers in this game of life.

It's a universal principle that applies across the board in every worthwhile endeavor. What are you looking to achieve this year? Have you sat down and counted the cost, do you know what price you have to pay to achieve it? Are you committed to paying that price?

You see, paying the price is not always fun, but because champions realize it's the only way to reach their goal, they go ahead and pay it anyway.

Those who lose in life avoid paying the price because it's too much of an inconvenience. It's not fun. These same people make excuses to justify their unwillingness to pay the price for success. For such people, the process is too much to ask.

Champions on the other hand, focus on the destination and consider the process as a temporary journey that's necessary to get them there.

You are a potential champion. You've got what it takes to do what Tiger Woods, Bill Gates and Oprah are doing, and even potentially more.

You've got to be willing to pay the price for your success though. Are you? Or do you just pay lip service to it? Ball's in your court. You can finish this year much stronger than when you started, if you get your act together, decide what you intend to achieve, count the cost of achieving it and then start now to pay the necessary price.

Remember, you're bound to pay a price one way or another. It's either the price of disciplining yourself to succeed, or it's the price of regret for failing to succeed. Why not choose the path of champions today? You're already one on the inside anyway. Let the champion in you out! Champions pay the price. Remember that.

Dr Kem Thompson is a General Practitioner, Author and Speaker. She specializes in Healthy Lifestyle medicine and is passionate about health & fitness, personal development and Women's issues. Subscribe today to her no-nonsense FREE 'Health & Success Newsletter' to receive practical tips, techniques and strategies you can use NOW to improve your health and life. You will receive 2 thank-you gifts when you subscribe at http://www.doctorkem.com