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

Forget New Year Resolutions: Evolve Instead

Jan 5th, 2011

Resolutions don’t work for 99% of the population. Have they worked for you? I found something that works -Crafting a New Year’s Theme Instead!

Join me for this FREE teleclass:

New Year’s Evolution: Choosing a Theme for 2011 that
Excites and Ignites You!

This is more than just a teleclass. You’ll learn how to think bigger about who you are and how you can design your life around your most cherished dream for 2011. If you don’t have a dream yet, you can borrow one of mine – I’ll give tons of examples. Your dream will become your theme. And your theme will replace your New Year’s Resolution, because it’s so much more powerful.

Why have a New Year’s Theme? Theme parks have a theme, special parties have themes, cruises use themes. Why? Because themes are exciting and they inspire us to join in the fun. They bring out our playful, creative sides. A theme is like a clarion call – it attracts our vision and our energy. You can create a theme that will forecast what you want in your life in 2011.

I’m going to take you through the process that I personally use every year to develop a theme that guides me throughout the year, not just until I forget about it! You’ll also learn my strategies for keeping it top of mind.

We’ll explore four kinds of themes:

1. Less or More Themes–what do you want more (or less) of in 2011
2. Health Themes
3. What Excites & Ignites You
4. Family Themes

By the end of the call, you will have a theme for 2011 or be well on your way to having one. And you’ll understand how your theme can pull you forward toward your dream throughout the year.

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TELECLASS DETAILS:

Date:  Thursday, January 13
Time: 5-6pm PT | 6-7pm MT | 7-8pm CT | 8-9pm ET:

There is no charge for this teleclass. It’s my New Year’s gift to you. You’ll just be responsible for any long distance charges that apply.

All you need is a phone and a couple of sheets of paper. You can participate from home, the office, or wherever you are. If you’ve never taken a teleclass and want to know more about how they work, get a brief summary here.

I am looking forward to helping you choose your theme for 2011.

To your healthy, happy life and Heaven in 11!

How to Be One of the Village People

Jan 4th, 2011

First read the description below to better understand what’s involved in being a Village People team member. Then fill in your name and your primary email and click the button. You will soon receive a welcome email with a special gift for joining.

Who Are the Village People
and Why Would You Want to Be One?

The Village People are a special group of like-minded folks who want to share, socialize and get the most out of the CherylMillerVille wellness community. If that sounds appealing to you, read on…

I’ve been building The Ville (cherylmillerville.com) since 2003 with a small team of talented people. Our mission is to create a community that helps people take action to live healthy, happy lives . . . in this lifetime.

It is now time to open it up to a bigger team that may include you (if you’re interested) because there’s a bigger vision that needs bigger thinking to create. If you’re a big thinker, someone who likes to help and wants to be part of a movement to live healthier, happier lives, I invite you to become one of the Village People at The Ville.

Why does the CherylMillerVille community need you?

Quite frankly, in order to see this community grow and have an impact on the health and happiness of as many people as possible, I need your help. While I’m the kind of person who gets a lot of things done, I’m also the kind of person who has a bunch of good ideas that never go anywhere. I get divinely inspired ideas and then wonder: will anybody be interested in this idea, will it be a lot of work and go nowhere, will it be fun for me and others? These questions have a way of draining my enthusiasm, and I subconsciously move on to something else. When inspiration comes, I’d like to be able to ask you what you think.

Having a team of people working with me to make projects and ideas come to life will change everything. You can help me see what’s half-baked, what will work and what won’t. You can help open up my thinking about a topic, and offer a different way of seeing it. Plus, I need you because I’m a creative person who needs a little support and encouragement now and then to keep going. And I want to hang out with people who “get me” and who I can be inspired by. Is that person you?

Six Reasons You May Want to Be One of the Village People

1. You enjoy receiving private invitations, gifts, freebies, and discounts in appreciation for your contributions and participation on the team
2. You want to belong to something neat – shaping the development and evolution of a wellness community that you and others want to be a part of.
3. You want to spend more time with me and other like-minded people. To see things first, to feel close to the source, close to the front of a new way of being, thinking, and living.
4. You, like the CherylMillerVille community, are a little counter cultural – when others are going down the well-worn path of eating a diet of highly processed foods, over spending, over eating, and over consuming in general, we’re exploring the road less traveled and making our own way, against the crowds, against the trends that don’t contribute to our health and well-being.
5. You want support for your own wellness journey. You want to increase your own commitment to living a healthy, happy life. Being a member can enlarge your thinking and provide a supportive environment for your own health and well-being.
6. For those of you working on your own businesses, you will learn how to set up your own team and interact with them to create synergy for your programs and projects.

Join the Village People!

As One of the Village People, Here’s What to Expect:

You will receive periodic emails inviting you to give feedback, input, suggestions, and reactions on a topic under discussion by the Village People team. These emails might include items like the following:

• An idea for a program that I want input on–even invitations to be a beta tester (yep, free programs and sneak peeks!)
• Invitations to participate as a content expert on health/wellness topics (good advertisement for your website/business).
• Project announcements, request for inspirational quotes or stories on a particular topic.
• Invitations to participate in occasional private teleclasses related to topics discussed in our email exchanges. On the teleclass calls, you’ll benefit from the expertise of a wellness coach as well as the other Village People on the call.

You can comment or not on the email requests I send—usually no more than 4 a month. If the topic isn’t of interest or if you’re too busy, you can ignore the request. However, please join the Village People team only if you’re interested in contributing . . . when you have the time and when the topic is of interest. We want the Village People to be a vibrant, active team who really makes a difference in the development and direction of CherylMillerVille.

Emails sent to the Village People are confidential and not to be shared with others. You can, however, feel free to invite others to join the team. Any ideas or strategies you share may be used as is or adapted into a product or service offered at The Ville. Unless I get snowed under with responses, I will acknowledge every email response and of course I’ll carefully read them all. You may unsubscribe from the Village People team at any time. There will be a link to manage your subscription at the bottom of each email you receive from me.

Join the Village People Today!

I am really excited about this team and the work we can do together. I’ve always believed that together we’re better. When you join the Village People team, you will have a stronger voice in creating a world you’re happy to live in – a world that supports healthy, happy living . . . in this lifetime. Will you join us?

Just fill in the form below to get started. You will receive an email welcoming you to the team along with a special gift.

Power to the (Village) People!

Cheryl Miller,

Wellness Strategist, Life Coach, and Mayor of The Ville

Join the Village People!

Great Quotes to Inspire!

Dec 22nd, 2010

Who doesn’t like a great quote? Visit this site to hit the jackpot of inspiring quotes from insightful people about how to succeed in the workplace and as a human being.

Here’s a sample: “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.” Josh Billings

30 Incredible iPad Apps for Weight Loss

Dec 15th, 2010

Guest Post:  Andrea Carter, Masters in Nursing

Losing weight is an ongoing battle for many, but thanks to handy tools like the iPad, you can take your plan with you wherever you go. This weeds out the excuses for those who travel and are short on time for devoting to grocer shopping, calorie counting and keeping up with what goes into their system. Think smart when making food choices, but when in doubt, pull out these trust weight loss apps for your iPad which can get you moving in the right direction.

Weight Loss iPad Apps for Fitness

If you’re just starting an exercise routine, it cam be difficult to get started. Between boredom and being so out of shape you can’t keep up with a program, it can be tough to stay consistent with work outs. Check out these iPad apps for inspiration and motivation to get your body working.

Self-Care in December? Who has time! Tonight?

Dec 7th, 2010

Every year I cut back a little more on holiday commitments and reserve space for the most precious elements of the holiday. This year, the only thing I’m doing for Christmas is spending time with my family—no gifts and no baking.

I’ve written several blog posts about the health of my aging parents – Mom 90, Dad 87. Mom is in the final days or weeks of colon cancer and dad is dealing with a pacemaker operation and dementia. There’s not much time for other holiday folderol this year – but believe it or not, I’m taking a good deal of time for self-care. In fact, last night I slept for 10 hours and I’ve cleared my slate for the rest of the week.

With the family stresses associated with holiday travel, gifts, baking, shopping, errands, decorating, most people don’t think they have time for good self-care. So they skip it. Then the stress creeps in: irritability, headaches, colds, flu, cold sores, sadness, weight gain, and low energy. These are all signs that self-care is needed.

I want to show you how I’ve learned to live a very sane December. I’ve teamed up with the amazing Sandra Ahten (the Reasonable Diet guru, www.reasonablediet.com) to share our combined ideas of how to live reasonably and peacefully this December. We’ve lined up 4 teleclasses—every Tuesday in December–to share our tools and inspiration to help you manage your time, your health, your stress level and even your weight so you can remain sane and reasonable this December.

The first teleclass starts tonight but you still have time to sign up – all sessions will be audio taped, so if you need to miss a class or two, not to worry. You can listen any time to the replays. Find out more here: http://www.reasonablediet.com/sp/december.html

I’d love to have you join us!

Knee-deep in December

Dec 1st, 2010

Here we are again. Knee-deep in December.  Yes, I know December just started, but doesn’t it feel like this fast-paced, high-stress, booked-solid time-of-year has already sucked us in and taken over?
 
I know a lot of people who feel this way about December, and sometimes I do too.  But most days I am able to keep my sanity by practicing a Reasonable December.  In fact I’ve got plans and systems in place to help me stay calm, connected and ahold of the reigns during the entire holiday season.
 
I’ve been through a lot of Decembers in my life and I’ve come to learn something through ‘em all. We don’t have to be at the mercy of all the demands of December.
We don’t have to go-all-out. We don’t have to end the month totally wiped out, depleted, kaput…and fatter, to boot!
 
We all can have a Reasonable December and I want to show you how.
 
So, I’m teaming up with Sandra Ahten (the Reasonable Diet guru, www.reasonablediet.com) to share our combined ideas of how to live reasonably and peacefully this December.
We’ve lined up 4 teleclasses held each week in December to offer you the tools and inspiration you need to manage your time, your health, your stress level and even your weight so you can remain sane and reasonable this December.
 
Wanna learn more? Find out how you can have a Reasonable December too:   http://www.reasonablediet.com/sp/december.html