And some days went by...

I have been trying to stay on track and what I realize is that I have a tendency to stray after I have had a few days of doing really well.  I get in my own way.  I see this alot in my office.  One of the things that I love about my job is how much I learn from the courageous people that I have worked with over the years.  They inspire me to keep going in the direction that I want to go, to keep learning and growing.  It's what keeps me feeling young.  I continue with my own daily struggles like everyone else.  You girls need to be writing, because you inspire me, as well.  I have been eating great and I can tell that my body is craving sugar and unhealthy things less, and using the fuel I am giving my body more effectively.  I'm feeling energetic and focused when I am on track,  disappointed when I get off track.  I need you guys!!

The Beginning! I've enjoyed owning a Daycare/preschool then Preschool only for 20+ years and had taken a year or so off. Again "What do I want to be when I grow up" came up!! I've enjoyed all the home based businesses I've owned over the past thiry years and have learned from them all, but there was always a feeling of burnout after a period of time and a feeling of these not being the destination I felt would bring life lasting satisfaction. This I have always known for sure-I'd work with children, do something that would benifit all my family, and would allow me to continue to grow also!

Talking to a casual friend in August, 2008, I found what I know now is one of the destinations I've been looking for! One month after visiting with her for two hours-having her explain the schooling she was almost finished with-I entered a year long journey to learn the art of helping others to come to emotional healing through what "The Institute of Healing Arts" calls the "Process". IHA teaches Emotional Release Therapy. I now can help or "facilitate" others in taking responsibility for their own emotional and physical health. This includes but is not limited to using bio-kinesiology (muscle response testing or MRT), guided imagery,NLP (neurolinguistic programing), speak out feelings, role play, inner child work, and visualization. I'm priviledged to help others come to a place of healing and a strong sense of closure with issues that they want to work on. I have a PASSION for this work and it fills those few things I've always known! I work with "children" (many of the beliefs we all have were formed in childhood so we work at these ages alot!), I've been able to help facilitate many family members and continue to be excited to do so and I KNOW this work will be a JOY to continue with for LIFE! Thus bringing me to the START of a journey in life nowing what I want to be. Am I finished? Quite the contrary-I've only just begun with my learning-broadening the things I am excited to learn only to compliment the "Emotional Release Work" I already do!!!!!

Jaye (my husband) is my biggest fan in life, my best friend-my love and the one that has nudged me in our thirty years of marriage to go where ever I want to go in life. Thank you honey! This is the beginning of my new lifes path and journey. The center Jodi (my sister and best friend) and Elena (my mom and another best friend) are working toward- WILL happen if it's the right place for us to all end up!!!!!

Ok...I'm running out of catchy titles.  Today, I did some visiting teaching (spiritual),  oven-grilled a pan full of vegetables and spent 30 min on the Wii (physical)  and visited with a friend and spent several counseling hours in the office (highly emotional... in a good way).  All in all, the day has been good.  I'm reading a good book, working on a baby quilt and thinking about when I am going to bake those yummy breakfast cookies.  I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening.

Reporting back at the end of the day...

I went back and did 28 min on the Wii Fit and took a 30 min walk this evening, ending with a visit to my friend, who is dying of cancer.  She is an inspiration to me.  Three years ago, she was given 3  months to live.  She decided to take matters into her own hands after the chemotherapy and experimental regimins that she underwent weren't going to work anymore.  She talked with a naturepath and dietitions, and changed the way she was eating.  She isn't an extreme person and there wasn't a feeling of desperation, but she wanted to stay as healthy as she could.  She began doing the very things that we are talking about doing with the exeption of removing meat completely from her diet.  She wasn't digesting that very well.  But she has added length and quality to her life.  Hopefully we can get the message through to your love, Jodi.  I worked hard today at staying balanced myself.  The work day went well, I visited a friend, did some physical activity and spent some time with my honey, and my dog, and my cat...and oh, yeah, I talked to each of my girls and sent messages to my boys.  Good day!!

Mmmmm...

Ok, I'm not sure what direction my blog contribution is here...as it pertains to the project.  Maybe it's that I am supposed to maintain the healthy lifestyle that we're trying to promote.  That sounds good.  I'm a person that goes "great guns" for awhile, really getting into it and then get out of the habit.  I did my Wii Fit for a whole year, just about everyday and was watchful of what I ate ( not really a diet, although there were diet spurts now and then), and lost the 10 pounds that I had been trying to lose since I was 30 and had my 6th child.  I'm not talking about the space of time when my life was falling apart and battled bulemia.  But after I reached my goal, the regular, daily exercise didn't always happen.  In fact, in anticipation of writing this, I got out my Wii Fit and was pleased to see that I'm still where I want to be BMI and weight wise, but I haven't done the exercises yet, but I fully intend to.  Hula Hoop here I come!  I also bought a stationary thing for my bike, so that I can do some bike riding while I am reading and ...I still do 1-2 miles of walking everyday.  I have a friend that I stop and see, as well as a mother than is on the way that I can visit.  So, those are built-in incentives to walk, even if I don't feel like it.  It's not that I don't like the physical activity of exercise, it's that I get bored easily with the same thing (which is why I like the variety of the Wii) and time.  If I only have 30 minutes and 10 things I can do...well you know how it is, right?  You girls are way more disciplined than me in that way. 
So what do you mean by fasting today?  You fasted until you had your smoothie this morning?  I think I can do that!

My leg of the journey

I am the "mom". I'm on the left.  Those other two cute, talented and accomplished, young women are my daughters, Jodi and Laurie.  When Jodi called me about this idea of a wellness center, I thought, "that is the coolest idea yet", and immediately went off in my mind about how all of the ideas we have tossed around come together in this idea.  Wow!!!  But the three of us have been great idea people, when we were together, and then we get caught up in life and ideas kinda peter out.  The following year, we come up with another one.  We have been looking at something that would allow us to work together, at something we all like, would be good at, and benefit others in a memorable way.  But the idea of a wellness center seemed to take it all in.  So, we had been thinking about it and tossing ideas about the "hows" and then it hit me...someone is gonna have to move.  All of Laurie's kids and grandkids are in one state, Jodi has a husband that might have a job that can't transfer and her kids are here.  I have kids in both places and a counseling practice that I have built over the last 30 years.  Hmmm...I finally came to the conslusion that if it's the right thing for us, then the rest will fall into place.  Alot can happen in the 4 years it will take Jodi to finish her education. I am excited and scared.  Like I said, it has taken me thirty years to build a practice that has been very satisfying and has made us a living.  Can I do that in a location where I am not known?  I am 67 years old, a time when alot of people are thinking of ending careers and I am thinking of starting a new one, or at least expanding one in a different direction than the small private practice I have had for so many years.


What Jodi took for less enthusiasm, was my mind jumping around in a million directions (pretty common for me) thinking about what it is gonna take to get there.  I am so excited about this project!  I spin out just thinking about what we could offer the world out there.  We work well together and have a way of bouncing off of each other's idea that is really inspirational.  So, while it's a little scarey, I do have confidence that the way will be open if we are open to the way.


HERE WE GO!!!!!!!