Chrysalis Whisperer E* Bouquet Issue #5
October 4, 2012

What Came to Mind?
When you read the headline "Your Oldest Friend,", did you think of someone, or something? Did you think of your body?

Take a moment now to really consider this old friend that has been with you all along (your body). Without judgment. Without thinking about creaky joints, aches, or pains, or injuries. Without bemoaning its imperfections. Take a moment to focus on what it is doing for you right now, without you having had to tell it to do so consciously it has been beating your heart. It varies the rate of your heart beat to match your level of activity. It breathes for you. Your eyelids blink periodically, bathing your eyeballs, lubricating them so that they can function well and help you read the words on this page.

Your oldest friend. How have you been treating it? What have you been feeding it? What options have you given it in terms of movement? How do you adorn it? How could you do a better job of thanking it sincerely for what it does for you?

Some people have a tendency to live in their bodies. Other people prefer to reside in their heads. Some people would prefer to do neither, and turn it all over to mother television.

What do you do?

In January, I made a commitment to myself to exercise every morning. In order to hold myself accountable, I shared this goal with others so that I might be encouraged to follow through. I actually got myself a little daruma doll (he's in the picture above, and 138 Pounds is the goal. As time went by and the morning exercise became a habit, I began changing other habits, and These changes seemed easier. I began planning meals and taking lunch to work with me instead of going out to lunch, or grazing on the doughnuts and other questionable foods that invariably turned up in our break room, compliments of a variety of local health care specialists (ironic, no??). One day, after being home sick from work with a chronic cough, I watched a documentary which fit my mood. The title? You'll love this: Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. That is exactly how I felt. This documentary chronicles the story of an Australian named Joe Cross and how he managed to get fit and healthy by changing his diet, and how he is helping others across the world to take on healthier habits. That movie really helped me to change my thinking about how I was eating, and why I was eating, and helped me to really think hard about some really bad emotional eating habits I've held for a very long time. That was in April. Several months later, and I'm 43 pounds closer to my goal than I was when I started. I exercise most mornings, I eat a lot more fruits and vegetables than I used to, and I have avoided thinking of myself as "being on a diet." I like to think that I changed my relationship with food. And I know that the old habit is there, dormant, and that it's important to continue to be mindful of my new habit. I HIGHLY Recommend the movie. Click Here to watch it for FREE!!!

In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, Charles Duhigg describes how a young woman had changed her life dramatically, and she did so by starting with one small habit change. She had struggled with obesity for most of her life, started chain smoking when she was 16, couldn't hold down a job and was heavily in debt in her 20's. At 34, she was lean, healthy, optimistic, and had a successful career.

The good news is that if you can make one small keystone habit change, that one change will create new neuronal pathways in your brain that will lead to a host of other changes. This book is a gold mine of helpful hints about how people have successfully created new habits successfully and easily.

In the book, Duhigg explains that habits happen when there is a cue, a routine, and a reward. In my old routine, The alarm went off (the cue), I hit the snooze bar (the routine), and I enjoyed a few more extra minutes in bed. In the new habit, the alarm goes off (the cue), I get up, get dressed, make my 5:15 phone call, and do my hour of exercise (the routine), and the reward is that I feel a lot more energetic for the rest of the day.

Duhigg also suggests that one of the factors which makes AA successful is the idea that being a part of a community of like-minded people is a big key to success. He writes, "There's something really powerful about groups and shared experiences. People might be skeptical about their ability to change if they're by themselves, but a group will convince them to suspend disbelief. A community creates belief."

There was a study done recently in Maine where they concluded that when friends take on a new habit, you are more likely to take on the new habit. If your co-workers all begin an exercise program and are successful, your odds of joining in and being successful go up.

I see clear evidence of this in the community that exists on Joe Cross's web site, jointhereboot.com. People post about their experiences, share recipes, and encourage each other. I have also experienced this phenomenon, having joined a web community which encourages me in the areas of mind, body, and spirit. It is a training that was developed by a phenomenal woman named Patricia Moreno. She has a training called IntenSati which incorporates physical movement with affirmations, spiritual, and personal growth. Being involved with her community has had some very powerful influences in how I think, feel, and behave. If you are curious about this, please check out her web site: satilife.com.

What Small Change Will You Commit To??

My hope for you is that as you read about how people have been able to find success in making powerful changes, you might find and commit to one small change that you can make for yourself.

What one small change might you be willing to commit to for the next 30 days? Could you pick something that seems manageable? There's the story of the woman with the very messy house who picked a rose out of her garden and put it in a vase. Then she needed somewhere to set it, and she cleaned off the clutter on her dresser. Then she started in on the sock drawer. One thing led to another, and the next thing she knew, her whole house was clean!

Here's a challenge if you would like. Think of a habit you might want to replace. Think about the cue, the routine, and the reward. Then come up with a new routine and a new reward. Keep it simple, keep it small. Write it down. If you would like, here's a link so you can color in the eye of a Daruma, then pin it up somewhere to remind you of the process... Here is a link:

Draw Your Own Daruma - Click here

Dear Ones,

Thank you for joining me for my sixth issue! It has been a while, and things are coming back on line!

In the past few months, I have had the opportunity to take a sabbatical and have done a lot of learning about new ways of helping people to realize their dreams, and to feel better. While the learning continues, I'm now spending time to pull together what I have learned from some amazing people, and am looking forward to sharing with you!

Plans are under way for some upcoming classes as well as some exciting product development. More information will be available in future issues.

Meanwhile, please enjoy what is here, and as always, I appreciate and benefit from your feedback. And, if any of this seems useful to you, please pass it on!

With appreciation from your Chrysalis Whisperer,

Liz Towill