Let’s Talk About Activism

Apr 18th, 2011

Have you noticed that more people are taking a stand on things that are important to them?  It’s a global phenomenon. 

Most of us support some kind of cause and the organizations that champion our cause whether it’s the Humane Society, Save the Earth, Cancer Society, Mother’s Against Drunk Driving, GRACE Factory Farm Project, NAACP, Not For Sale and the list goes on and on.

Join me this Tuesday, April 19 at 7pm Central Time to talk about activism. 

**What spurs you on to support a cause–big or small? 
**Where does your passion come from? 
**What if anything gets in the way of supporting your cause while maintaining good mental and physical health, compassion for all slides of the issue, and while seeing the future as a positive place? 

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE TELE-SERIES

This series occurs twice a month – the first and third Tuesdays at 7pm CT.

Visit this link for more information and to sign up (if you haven’t already):
http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

You will receive an email confirmation with the phone number to call. I will also give you a link to an inspirational video with David Batstone.

Note:  If you’re not sure you’ve signed up yet, go ahead and sign up again. You’ll get only one subscription if you use the same email, so don’t worry. 

Please join me and feel free to forward this email to your friends and colleagues.  Everyone is welcome.

Skating Through Life

Apr 14th, 2011

I had one of those days today when things came together – nothing spectacular – but things came together. 

After a quick walk with Toby on the levee before the storm hit, I got a memory flash of roller skating when I was a kid.  I was OK on skates but because I didn’t have enough skill to quickly change direction to get out of the way of an imminent crash, I was a bit vigilant – watching what others were doing (and what I was doing).

From this observant posture, I was amazed at how smoothly everyone skated round and round in the rink without disastrous consequences.  Rarely did skaters bump into each other, rarely did they have to work hard to stay out of each other’s way.  They merged, ebbed and flowed, and basically managed to be have a lot of fun without any downside. 

Skating through a day is one of life’s little pleasures—thankfully I noticed today.

How is your body doing?

Apr 4th, 2011

In our fast-pace lives, it’s easy to ignore and abuse our bodies.  Not always on a conscious level, we hope they will continue to carry us through our busy lives without getting sick or injured.

But the inevitable “body events” happen and we have an opportunity to tune in and learn what our bodies have to teach us.

Since I decided to pay more attention to my body, it’s doing better, it’s happier and so am I.

Join me this Tuesday, April 5 (my birthday) at 7pm Central Time to talk about our bodies and how they’re doing.  This call will have an open architecture.  Here are the kinds of things we’ll talk about:

• How do you feel about your body?
• What kind of shape is your body in?
• How well do you know your body?
• Do you prefer to live in your head or in your body?

After we get this “heady” stuff out on the table, we’ll do some body awareness exercises to help us experience our own body wisdom. 

Special Invitation to body workers:   If you’re a body worker, please join us and add your wisdom to the group discussion. 

If you haven’t yet signed up for this series, visit this link to subscribe:  http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/  You’ll get an email confirmation with the phone number to call.  If you’re not sure whether you’ve signed up for the series, go ahead and do it again.   As long as you use the same email, you’ll get only one email reminder. 

This series occurs twice a month – the first and third Tuesdays at 7pm CT.

Healthy Snacking at Home, at Work, and on the Road (teleclass notes)

Mar 1st, 2011

As part of the Let’s Talk About Healthy, Happy Living tele-converation series, we had a great call tonight on healthy snacking at home, at work, and on the road.  Lively discussion and some paradigm shifts.  That’s what happens when people are given a chance to chat and share without an expert droning on (of course we like that sometimes too)  As a wellness expert I have to say that

Here are a few highlights from the call:

• Some people really need to snack – to keep up with their metabolism because they do better with several mini meals a day, to help them manage their blood sugar level, and/or to keep them from getting starved and eating a huge meal.
• Some people really don’t need to snack – they don’t mind getting hungry and waiting for a good, wholesome meal.
• People are all different and need different things (no matter what anybody tells you, we’re all different and one size does not fit all)
• Healthy snacks that can be considered mini meals usually contain a carbohydrate (fruit, grain, veggie) a protein (dairy, meat, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds), fat (from protein and dairy) and fiber (from being a whole food)
• Healthy snacks can be a piece of fruit, dried fruit and nuts/seeds, hummus and veggies, a plain ol’ carrot, left overs, a cup of soup…..at the end I’ve pasted a snippet from WebMD—20 healthy snacks.
• If you stay up late, you’ll probably want a “4th meal” because our metabolism (fire in the belly) heats up around 10:30 at night (plus or minus).  To avoid late night eating,  don’t stay up late if you don’t have to…or at least choose a healthy snack.  Get up early to help encourage you to go to bed earlier.
• Your snacks can make or break a healthy diet.  Many processed snacks are very high in fat, chemicals, calories, or low quality ingredients.  Choose healthy, whole food snacks.
• Healthy snacking can help people lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.  Conventional processed snacks can contribute to weight gain, stress, low blood sugar, cravings, and expensive groceries.

The next call in the series….

We also talked about how to set up healthy snack environments and a handful of other topics like what were your favorite childhood snacks.  If you missed this call from the Let’s Talk About healthy, Happy Living tele-conversation series, don’t miss the next call.  It’s going to be about staying focused and sticking with your health and life goals—Tuesday, March 1, 7pm CT. Remember this series occurs the first and third Tuesdays of each month.   If you haven’t signed up for the series yet, visit this link for more info and to sign up:  http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

20 Choices 100 Calorie Snacks

To get you started on the road to healthy, calorie-controlled snacking, WebMD offers some suggestions for 100-calorie munchies:

1. Half an apple with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter
2. An orange and a few dry-roasted nuts
3. 10 cashew nuts
4. 10 almonds
5. 2 ounces of lean roast beef
6. Half a small avocado
7. 3 ounces cooked whole-grain noodles with 1 fresh tomato and 1/2 ounce hard cheese
8. 1 seven-grain Belgian waffle
9. 4 mini rice cakes with 2 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese
10. 3 ounces low-fat cottage cheese and 3 whole-wheat crackers
11. Small amount ranch dressing with mixed raw veggies
12. 6 Wheat Thins crackers with two teaspoons of peanut butter (or any nut butter)
13. 1 small baked potato with 1/2 cup salsa and 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream
14. 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast, cut into 4 strips for dunking
15. 1/2 cup frozen orange juice, eaten as sorbet
16. 2 large graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter
17. 3 handfuls of unbuttered popcorn, seasoned with herbs
18. 4-6 ounces of yogurt
19. A 5-ounce tossed salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and small amount of dressing
20. Half a "finger" of string cheese with 4 whole-wheat crackers

Put Coins in Your “Pleasure Bank”

Feb 28th, 2011

Recently I had surgery on my foot.  On the way home from having the bandages changed, I found a penny on the ground.  I thought of something positive I wanted to have happen as I picked it up. 

Now here’s the fun part.  Picking up that penny made me think about how grateful I am for the pleasurable things in my life.  Next, I visualized a "pleasure bank" that gets fat every time I drop a coin or two into it when I acknowledge a pleasurable event–the hot cup of coffee I was drinking, the sunny day, just two more weeks before the stitches come out! 

Noticing the small, daily pleasures and mentally dropping a coin in your pleasure bank feels great – it makes pleasure feel more real. Try it!

Speaking of pleasure….when it comes to snacking, you can have pleasure and good health.  As humans we move towards pleasure and away from pain.
When it comes to your snacks, you can move toward pleasure…

Did you know that the quality of your snacks can dramatically affect…

• Your weight
• Your blood sugar levels
• Your energy
• Your emotional state
• And your stress level

Cross my heart–it does. And what do you think of those 100 Calorie packs?  Come hang out with me and find out if these snacks are for you (or not!)

Join us for the upcoming Let’s Talk About Healthy Snacks – free tele-conversation Tuesday, March 1, 7 CT.

Find out how to make your own snack packs – ones that help you release weight, level out blood sugar levels, increase your vitality, calm your emotions and help you manage stress. And of course healthy snacks will help you build a healthy, strong body (really, not just advertisement-speak).

We’ll get down and dirty talking about snacks – our favorites, our sinful pleasures, and then we’ll switch gears and share popcorn-brainstorm-style about healthy snack ideas and recipes.

Come to the call if…

• You’re a nutritionist or health educator (to share your wisdom)
• You’re overweight and want to lose rather than gain weight
• You’re an athlete and want to be able to perform better in your sport
• You like to cook and share recipes (especially healthy, tasty ones)
• You have a chronic health condition and need improved nutrition
• You’re a parent and want to provide better snacks for your kids
• You live a busy, fast-paced life and grab food on the go
• You like to eat!

Visit this link for more information and to sign up:
http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

If you’re not sure you’ve signed up yet for the series, go ahead and sign up again. You’ll get only one subscription if you use the same email, so don’t worry. 

Please join me and feel free to forward this email to your friends and colleagues.  Everyone is welcome.

Ha cha cha – Get Your Healthy Snacks Here!

Feb 23rd, 2011

Join us for the upcoming Let’s Talk About Healthy Snacks – free tele-conversation Tuesday, March 1, 7 CT.

Did you know that the quality of your snacks can dramatically affect….

• Your weight
• Your blood sugar levels
• Your energy
• Your emotional state
• And your stress level?

Cross my heart. And what do you think of those 100 Calorie packs?  Come to the call and find out if these snacks are for you (or not!)

Find out how to make your own snack packs – ones that help you lose weight, level out blood sugar levels, increase your energy, calm your emotions and help you manage stress. And of course healthy snacks will help you build a healthy, strong body (really, not just advertisement-speak).

We’ll get down and dirty talking about snacks – our favorites, our sinful pleasures, and then we’ll switch gears and share popcorn-brainstorm-style about healthy snack ideas and recipes.

Come to the call if….

• You’re a nutritionist or health educator (to share your wisdom)
• You’re overweight and want to lose rather than gain weight
• You’re an athlete and want to be able to perform better in your sport
• You like to cook and share recipes (especially healthy, tasty ones)
• You have a chronic health condition and need improved nutrition
• You’re a parent and want to provide better snacks for your kids
• You live a busy, fast-paced life and grab food on the go
• You like to eat!

Visit this link for more information and to sign up:  http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/ If you’re not sure you’ve signed up yet for the series, go ahead and sign up again.  You’ll only get one subscription if you use the same email. 

Let’s Talk About Fun (notes from the first tele-conversation)

Feb 15th, 2011

Just finished the first tele-conversation in the Let’s Talk About Healthy, Happy Living series (1st and 3rd Tuesdays each month).  Our topic was having fun.  Here are some great quotes about fun and highlights of our conversation. 

" He who does not get fun and enjoyment out of every day…needs to reorganize his life"
-George Matthew Adams

"If I were a toy, I would say ‘Press my Play button’."
Julie De Koven

"The human race has only one effective weapon –and that is laughter."
Mark Twain

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."
Dale Carnegie

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
Abraham Lincoln

"Happiness is not having what you want. It’s wanting what you have."
Unknown

"It is a happy talent to know how to play."
Ralph Waldo Emerson quoted in Joy by Beverly Elaine Eanes

Notes from the Conversation….

Things people shared that were fun for them:

• hitting the bike trails on a sunny day
• hiking (with great weather, scenery, friends)
• road trips with favorite music, no time table – freedom!
• cleaning, organizing, clearing the decks (fun checking things off a list, satisfying results)
• playing with cats or other pets
• listening to shape note singing group
• hoola dancing for nursing home, party, other event
• reading a good book
• enjoying a spa bath or massage
• winter camping
• going on retreat

What can keep us from having more fun – perceived obstacles

• Money can be an obstacle if we can’t shift our mindset about what we want and about money worries.  One participant talked about  how she’s tuning in to the essence of what she really wants for a 3-day vacation that she can afford.  Her creative juices have been activated and she’s having fun doing the research for local activities accessible via public transportation (inspiring story/reframe)
• Inflexibility – if we have our heart set on one way to have fun and it doesn’t work out that way, it can be hard to switch gears (but switching gears is possible)
• Unhappiness and unmet needs – can learn to meet our own needs with a meditation technique to provide comfort to yourself by Pete Sanders Access Your Brain’s Joy Center
• Drama and family upset – one participant shared that they just went with the drama and chaos and turned the opera music up really loud.  That shifted the family energy/dynamic and they all enjoyed the Valentine’s Dinner (another inspiring story/reframe)
• Clutter – makes us feel guilty, overwhelmed, so less likely to be free spirited and think about having fun (split a 3-day holiday into one day of cleaning/organizing and two days of fun!)  The cleaning and organizing clears the deck for guilt-free fun.
• Feeling out of Control – use mindfulness and meditation to tap into personal freedom and peaceful relaxation (includes mindful breathing).  One participant said that meditation is an awesome all-purpose tool and I agree.

How we can build more fun into our lives

• Hang out with fun people
• Have a fun buddy to do things with
• Make a list of fun things to do – create a fun menu to remind us of fun things when we’re feeling blah or blue
• Post inspiring quotes and affirmations to remind us to have fun
• Schedule fun activities into our calendars
• Visit the Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Center and pick up brochures on 100 things to do for free/fun in your town
• Create a “fun” file
• Practice mindfulness (to become aware of pleasure)
• Do some biblio-therapy (hang out in a library or bookstore and read while sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee.  Read something you wouldn’t ordinarily read.  “Borrow the book” for a coffee break so you don’t have to buy it or check it out.
• Unpack the good China and use it.  Set a nice table with candles.  Wear lipstick, a cool pin, put on a fragrance.  Make life an occasion.

A few takeaways from the call:  not as lacking in fun as we thought but need reminders to build fun in.  Also, we can be more in control of our lives than we sometimes think – even if we have a challenging life.

If you missed this conversation and would like to sign up for the series (it’s FREE!), visit this link:  http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

Let’s Talk About Having Fun!

Feb 14th, 2011

I don’t know about you, but I tend to be a bit serious about life—I could use more fun in my life.   But what?  How? We’re kicking off our Let’s Talk About Healthy, Happy living series talking about fun.   

Here’s who needs to come to the call, Tue. Feb 15:

• You, if you’re good at having fun (we need to hear your secrets)

• You, if you seldom have fun (we want to inspire and expand your world)

• You, if you are in the middle like me (we want to tip you onto the fun end of the spectrum)

Come to the first call in the series this Tuesday, February 15 and share your take on fun (Do you know how to have fun? Are you fun-deficient? Do you have suggestions for having more fun?)

More info about the series and signup:
http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

When you sign up, you’ll receive an email with the call-in details.  If you’re not sure whether you have signed up for this series yet, go ahead and sign up.  You’ll get just one notice (unless you use a different email). 

FREE Series: Let’s Talk About Healthy, Happy Living

Feb 9th, 2011

You’re invited to join me for a free conversation series (twice a month) about health and wellness topics ranging from getting good sleep, to healthy snacking, to personal development, to eating organic, to decluttering, to healthy aging and more.  All you need is a phone. 

Here’s how to join in the conversation:

First and Third Tuesdays every month
5-6pm PST | 6-7pm MST | 7-8pm CST | 8-9 EST

More info:  http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

We’ll have folks from all over joining in on the discussion—from all walks of life and full of varying perspectives. Imagine the energy and wisdom! 

Everyone is invited to join in or just listen.  All you need is a telephone to participate.

If you’re longing for lively, engaging conversation about health and well-being, visit this link to find out more: 
http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

You can participate in any or all calls, and you can opt out of the series at any time.

Don’t miss it!

Please invite your friends,  family, and colleagues to participate:
http://www.cherylmillerville.com/letstalkabout/

Tired of Winter?

Jan 25th, 2011