One of my favorite authors, Leo Buscaglia, has penned some incredible thoughts and insights on the topic of love. In fact, I highly recommend his little book entitled, "Love" or another, "Living, Loving & Learning" to inspire your inner love voice.

Remember, smile broadly, reach out to others and keep an open heart. Not only will it make others feel better during these stressful global times, but you, too. And you don't have to be a Special Olympian! ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/nscgWeG9xrk/teagan_and_the_2009_world_spec.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2009/02/teagan_and_the_2009_world_spec.htm Pondering Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:13:24 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2009/02/teagan_and_the_2009_world_spec.htm

I found out last night that someone very near and dear to my heart was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The word "cancer" shakes me to the core because I've watched other dear friends suffer and battle, sometimes winning...sometimes losing. But the beauty of this situation is that my loved one, having just turned forty, followed guidelines and went in for her very first mammogram. Radiology found cancer despite the lack of a lump (she still can't detect it by hand!) My dear one is tough, has faith, and is surrounded by friends and family bolstering her with love. Still, my heart breaks for her that she has to go through this.

Girlfriends, this drives home six tenets I strongly believe in for living a fulfilling life. Why wait for something such as cancer to threaten you? Let's all take little steps today toward living the life we love!]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/uK2VmwZddfg/loving_on_her.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/11/loving_on_her.htm Pondering Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:06:08 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/11/loving_on_her.htm I'm fond of this parable from The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. It helps keep life in perspective, brings a smile to my face and a deep breath to my lungs (things that don't always come easy when stressed with kids, work, relationships, the current economy or whatever else!)

Two prime ministers are sitting in a room discussing affairs of state. Suddenly a man bursts in, apoplectic with fury, shouting and stamping and banging his fist on the desk.

The resident prime minister admonishes him: "Peter," he says, "kindly remember Rule Number 6," whereupon Peter is instantly restored to complete calm, apologizes and withdraws.

The politicians return to their conversation, only to be interrupted yet again twenty minutes later by a hysterical woman gesticulating wildly, her hair flying. Again the intruder is greeted with the words: "Marie, please remember Rule Number 6." Complete calm descends once more and she too withdraws with a bow and an apology.

When the scene is repeated for a third time, the visiting prime minister addresses his colleague: "My dear friend, I've seen many things in my life, but never anything as remarkable as this. Would you be willing to share with me the secret of Rule Number 6?"

"Very simple," replies the resident prime minister. "Rule Number 6 is 'Don't take yourself so damn seriously.'"

"Ah," says his visitor, "that is a fine rule." After a moment of pondering he inquires, "And what may I ask are the other rules?"

"There aren't any."

BUT, I feel the same way in my weekly tennis clinic with an instructor who has coached collegiate teams and toured with Andy Roddick on the U.S. men's tennis team. As I hack away at yet another fuzzy ball I'm thinking to myself, "This has to be so painful for Coach!" Did I mention one of my serves ended up in his swimming pool today? Yeah...that's what I said...PAINFUL!

Coach gently reminds me to "loosen up on the grip," as I tend to approach the game white-knuckled. My death grip gets me nowhere on the court...absolutely nowhere. And whenever I hear his words, I'm reminded how I tend to maneuver through life with a white-knuckled approach, squeezing out most semblance of flow or ease. That's my nature and it's a constant challenge to loosen up...lighten up...ease up on the grip.

What I've learned is that tennis requires mindfulness (of too many details, if you ask me) and meditation on those skills leads to enlightenment, hopefully in the form of a fabolicious serve!

And with that, a parallel to life...to stay mindful and in the present, focusing on what's here and now and within our control. Not the ghost of yesterday, nor the phantom of tomorrow.

How's your grip? Need to loosen up a little???

There were more than a handful of things I should have been doing instead of indulging in a 2-hour mountain bike ride and lunch with my girlfriends, during the weekday no less! Guilt was weighing heavily until a few deep breaths of fresh air filled my stifled lungs. The adrenaline kicked in as we hit the sandy & treacherous single-track and by then I was feeling really good! "I'll stay up late tonight to catch up on work...get up early in the morning before my sons awake. Breathe...it's okay. I need this."

As it turned out, I wasn't the only mom feeling this way. In between gulps of air and grumblings of pain she said "I almost didn't make it today...I'm so glad I did." Another, "Me, too." And yet another, "Yeah, me, too!" The truth always shines it's face on the trail, whether it's your inner gumption or guilt! Truth is, we all needed it and in the end, loved being there together panning the gorgeous foothill vista of our busy little city!

Squeezing in time with girlfriends isn't always easy, but it sure makes me feel rejuvenated and more balanced. The next time you're feeling guilty about taking a little time for yourself remember, "Breathe...it's okay. You need it...you deserve it!"

Pregnancy, motherhood, and eating disorders. At first glance they appear unrelated. Look deeper and you'll find that many women (both during and after pregnancy) experience a spectrum of body related issues ranging from benign concern regarding weight gain and loss, to active eating disorders. An estimated 10 million women in this country suffer from an eating disorder and 20% of pregnant women as well. Many women feel uncomfortable discussing a past or current eating disorder with their OBGyn, alarming considering the research:

It appears that a history of disordered eating may predict reproductive trouble even years after treatment and progress in recovery. In the U.S., about 20 percent of women patients who ask for help at fertility clinics have had an eating disorder.

A study in Denmark suggests that even eight years after successful ED treatment, the chances of having a high-risk pregnancy are the same as for those women receiving treatment immediately before they conceive. (Secher, et al. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, January 2004.)

According to an article in the September 2001 American Journal of Psychiatry, pregnant women with active eating disorders or a history of eating disorders have an increased risk of delivery by cesarean section as well as postpartum depression.

Research by the March of Dimes and the California Birth Defects Program found that women having eating disorders during the first trimester had nearly double the risk of giving birth to babies with neural tube defects such as spinal bifida. Those who fasted during this time had almost six times the risk.

According to the results of a study conducted at George's Hospital in London, active bulimia raises the risk of miscarriage, prematurity, gestational diabetes and postpartum depression.

To better understand the destructive combination of pregnancy and eating disorders, watch this moving video clip of two couples sharing their personal accounts while guests on The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/WBgbdMPVYBQ/pregnancy_eating_disorders_res.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/08/pregnancy_eating_disorders_res.htm Pondering Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:02:11 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/08/pregnancy_eating_disorders_res.htm Quote from Julia Childs~famous American cook, author and television personality. She had it right when she declared, "Life Itself Is The Proper Binge!" What do you binge on? Playful wrestling matches with your children? Meaningful conversations with those you love? Gorgeous music or art? Competitive games of tennis? Whatever aspects of life you binge on, make them plentiful~they are the fuel of happiness. (Do I sound philosophical, or what?!)

The idea for this journal popped into my head when Alex was tiny. Well, my little guy turned ten this week which just goes to show it's never too late to make a dream come true. I can't believe my hard work has come to head and now it's time to go "pitch my product." I love exciting times like these!

I'm so glad my dear friend, Carolyn, shared this book with me. Much has been said about Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It has been on The New York Times Best Sellers List for paperback nonfiction forty-nine weeks and is currently ranked number one. Gilbert sat down with Oprah, not once, but twice that I’m aware of, to discuss her literary gem and its rippling effect on women worldwide. I'm inspired how Gilbert listened to the small voice inside (sometimes screaming loudly) declaring her perfect life, when viewed from the outside, void of true happiness and contentment. Upon this awakening, she embarked on a year-long journey of self examination: pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and a balance of enjoyment and transcendence in Bali. Gilbert writes with a candor and humor not to be ignored, and actually embraced, by all who have fallen in love with her. I highly recommend this read!

A must read for anyone whose life has been touched by an eating disorder. Decades after her initial recovery from anorexia and the publication of her first book, Solitaire, author Aimee Liu had a relapse which set her on a new course of self-discovery. Here, she combines personal interviews with cutting edge research to propose that societal pressure, popular culture, and family dysfunction cannot “make” one anorexic or bulimic; rather it takes a particular genetic predisposition and temperament. Readers will learn who is susceptible and why recovery requires more than just good nutrition.

• DECOR
  

  Bella Jean Creations
  At BellaJeanCreations.com you will find bright, whimsical original pieces of animal art for your child's bedroom or playroom. My sons love theirs!

• BOOKS
  

  Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

  The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book

  The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way

  Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders

  • EATING DISORDER RELATED RESOURCES
    

  Gürze Books www.gurze.com

  Gürze Eating Disorders Blog www.eatingdisordersblogs.com

  Father/Daughter Relationships
  www.dadsanddaughters.org

  Healing From Sexual Abuse
  www.joshuachildrensfoundation.org

  Something Fishy www.something-fishy.org

  Gaining The Truth www.gainingthetruth.com

  Academy For Eating Disorders www.aedweb.org

  National Eating Disorders Association
  www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

  National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders www.anad.org

  Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders
  www.anred.com

  The Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center www.edreferral.com

  The National Eating Disorder Information Centre www.nedic.ca

  National Institute of Mental Health
  www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/summary.shtml

  ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/HUa2LrM0vXE/favorites_recommendations.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2007/12/favorites_recommendations.htm Pondering Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:08:43 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2007/12/favorites_recommendations.htm Spring, I enjoy it for so many reasons and topping the list are my sons' birthdays. My youngest just turned nine. Like you probably do, I tried to make the annual celebration as special as possible. This included serving his favorite breakfast and dinner on our family's cherry red Waechtersbach Plate (I love this tradition!) There was a birthday party, too, with plenty of kids and chaos...presents and wrapping paper strewn everywhere...cake & ice cream...fun party activities...goodie bags...the whole kit-n-kabboodle.

  To see Hayden's face light up with happiness throughout the day made my heart smile. But nothing beat the chuckle I got when overhearing him tell his buddy, "The best part about having a birthday is I don't have to do chores today!" As they say, priceless...another one for the mother's journal!

  ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/c8v4lA-PrC4/the_best_things_in_life_are_fr.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2009/04/the_best_things_in_life_are_fr.htm Ahh! Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:31:08 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2009/04/the_best_things_in_life_are_fr.htm I thought I would die laughing last night at the dinner table. My fifth grade son, Alex, exclaimed with great enthusiasm that his teacher announced they would be starting "poverty class" in early March. He even bounced up and down a little in his chair and declared, "I'm so excited to learn about poverty." I thought to myself, "That's strange...poverty class...and such an eagerness to learn...what a fabulous teacher he has, cultivating a passion for knowledge in her students, even when the topic is less than thrilling." And then I realized my darling son meant to say "puberty class." Pull out the mother's journal...gotta write that one down!]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/8ZwLzTMtyZw/poverty_class_aka_puberty_clas.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2009/02/poverty_class_aka_puberty_clas.htm Ahh! Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:17:38 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2009/02/poverty_class_aka_puberty_clas.htm Do you have any idea how difficult it is to play Billy Joel's "Piano Man" with your eight year old sitting on your lap? Very, but there was no way I was about to turn down Hayden's request to sit between my arms at the piano during my nightly musings. I know he'll be too big in the blink of an eye, and I'll be wishing for my little "piano man."
  ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/9gtaUwgTfQ8/piano_man.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/09/piano_man.htm Ahh! Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:51:12 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/09/piano_man.htm sweet! I taught my two sons how to waterski while boating with my brother, nephew and nieces. My patient mother taught me how to ski many, many years ago...and so it was fun teaching and encouraging Alex & Hayden like mom did me. They were brave and proud...definitely something to jot down in my mother's journal!]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/edRsiBjaJ3Y/one_for_the_mothers_journal.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/08/one_for_the_mothers_journal.htm Ahh! Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:38 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/08/one_for_the_mothers_journal.htm One evening while preparing to go out, my sons' father told me I looked sexy. Alex, who was 3 1/2 years old at the time, declared, "She's not sexy, she's Mommy!"
  ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/L8Pa6Hc6NBA/shes_not_sexy_shes_mommy.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/04/shes_not_sexy_shes_mommy.htm Ahh! Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:53:19 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2008/04/shes_not_sexy_shes_mommy.htm My son Alex giggles whenever he hears the story about kicking me in the ribs during Easter church service two weeks before being born and how his stubborn little foot wouldn't budge! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/rO0vlIK_p2A/easter_kickoff.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2007/12/easter_kickoff.htm Ahh! Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:33:04 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2007/12/easter_kickoff.htm My second born son was a mere three years old when he displayed a gift for persuasion, "I have two tummies Mommy~one for dessert and one for the other stuff. The other one is full so can I have a brownie?" How could I argue with that!

  ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dlt/~3/zNSoVWojXVU/two_tummies.htm http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2007/12/two_tummies.htm Ahh! Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:19:14 -0800 http://www.daysliketomorrow.com/2007/12/two_tummies.htm