Tuesday Truth or Dare: It's a Joy Thing

Truth: Life is meant to be enjoyed. Happiness is a beautiful, creative state of mind. Happiness is strongly linked to PLAY! Just look at children playing, they're laughing, smiling and joyful.  When you sit and watch a group playing any sport or game, they are completely living in the moment.  And Living in the Moment is where you want to be living.

As adults, we have lost touch with play and that's sad.  Our lack of spontaneous laughter, movement and engagement with others has led to increased levels of stress and depression.  

Playing is holistic medicine and it calls for a daily prescription. 

Dare: Add PLAY to your day. Dance. Skip. Be Spontaneous. Swing. Get a group of friends together for a game of good old-fashioned tag or touch football. There are many ways to add Play to your day. 

Yesterday, Charley (my wee dog) and I went to the park and I spontaneously decided to go for a swing.  It was amazing!  I smiled as soon as I started to go higher.  The kids joined in and we laughed and challenged each other. 

For the rest of the day, I felt energized and couldn't help but smile every time I thought about swinging in the fresh air.

7 day Challenge: 

Wake Up and Smile!

Commit to adding Play time 

to your day.

Sing, Move, Play catch at lunch, Sit on the Swings 

 

Plan a "Play Day" at work or with friends and family!

Sign up for a sport you played as a kid.  Get out there and play.

Make it a Great |Day!

How will you add PLAY to your Day?  

Add your ideas to the comments and let's begin to play and have fun and Smile.

Ready to Claim Your Big, Bold, Ballsy Life?

You had a dream and then life happened and then worry and stress crept in and sucked the life out of your dreams. No dreams + no inspiration = no motivation.

Sometimes life knocks you down and leaves you feeling depressed, challenged, overwhelmed, stressed and you start to believe that things will never change.

Thrive:  Live Life Fearlessly 10 Day Challenge is designed to reignite your inspiration + breakthrough your negative feelings.

You will finish the challenge feeling vibrant and ready to make each and every day a great day!

Let's get your Inspiration back! Time to reclaim your passion and look forward to achieving your dreams.

Take the challenge and reclaim your inspiration. 

You have one life - this one, right now!

Sign Up Here

Challenge Starts June 1st

Tuesday Truth or Dare: It's an Inspiration Thing

Truth:  Over time we lose touch with what inspires us.  We may have forgotten why we do what we do or what is was that inspired us when we were growing up.  Inspiration trumps motivation.  

You can't motivate yourself to do something if you're not inspired to do it!

Success in achieving your dreams and goals begin with inspiration.  Once you get back in touch with what inspires you, motivation will be ready, willing and able.

You had a dream and then life happened and then worry and stress crept in and sucked the life out of your dreams.  No dreams + no inspiration = no motivation.  

Dare:  Let's get your Inspiration back!  Time to reclaim your passion and look forward to achieving your dreams.

Sit somewhere quiet - just you + your thoughts and write your Love List.  Include all the things, people and concepts you are attracted to, passionate about and interested in. Don’t limit yourself.

Take opposite action - this is lots of fun and gets you moving in the right direction.  Very often, what we most feel like doing is not what would help us the most. So if you’re having low energy – you often feel like hanging out at home, while getting out and doing something actually would be more helpful. The same thing goes for feeling uninspired – we often don’t feel like doing anything. So whatever it is you want to be doing right now – try experimenting with doing the opposite. Sometimes doing something you’ve never done before will excite and ignite you like nothing else.

7 day Challenge: 

Wake up and smile!

Write your big, bold Love List 

Create an Action Plan to achieve 

One of Your Love List items

Take Opposite Action at least once 

+ Write down the positive impact it had on you

Make it a Great Day!

_______________________________________

Thrive: Live Life Fearlessly 10 Day Virtual Challenge.  Want to kick your life up a notch? Do you want to Thrive: Live Life Fearlessly?   

Join the Free 10-day Thrive Challenge and you will:

Breathe New Life into Your Desires and Passions

Live your Live to the Fullest in the Present Moment

Put the Past Behind You: Where it Belongs

Be Excited About Writing and Living a New Glorious Chapter in Your Life

Each day you will get tips and information that will inspire you to live a life filled with passion, joy and love each and every day.

It's Free and you will have my undivided attention for 10 amazing days. You will also get access to the Thrive: Live Life Fearlessly Community.

Starts June 1st - Click Here to Sign up

Did You Say Yes When You Wanted to Say NO?!

Why is so difficult to just simply say No?

We are bombarded with requests to do stuff, join stuff, give stuff, volunteer stuff, be a shoulder to cry on, give moral support, chat on the phone for hours, etc.

Often we want to say NO but instead we swear under our breath and blurt out Yes I will do, be, see, act, etc.

We have been programmed to be polite and saying yes is part of that training. The good news is that we can adjust and change our programming to include NO without guilt.

The benefits of saying NO are incredible.

No sets healthy boundaries and frees up time to do what makes you feel good and that's healthy.

No is one word period.  It does not require excuse or explanation.  Straight up No works really well.

No brings balance to your self-care and your life.

Saying no to family is possible and necessary.  You can do it!

Saying "no" takes courage and practice.  After the first time, it does get easier.  Especially when you see the positive results on your own life.

To live a Baggage-Free Life, you want to be able to say No to everyone else and yes to yourself.

Take the first step to saying No and download my Yes-No Worksheet and reveal your yes-no patterns.

Once you see where and how you say yes and how it is negatively impacting your life, you will begin to change your Yes to everything because I'm polite life strategy.


About Susan Ball:  Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E.

Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

Do You Know What the Biggest Suck to Your Confidence Is?

The people you hang out with!

Take a good hard look at the people you associate with.  Are they negative-nellies?  Poo-pooing your every idea?  Do they look at you and say negative stuff about your appearance?  The way you dress? Do they constantly tell you what you "should" do, think or say?

If any of that is true, then you are hanging around people who are sucking the self-confidence right out of you! Every drop of it.
.
By the time your day is done, you've had your ideas shot down, You've been told that you should do something or behave some way or change something.  You face questions all day long that make you think twice about your choices.

It's no wonder you get home and seek solace from the world outside.  After all, hiding is better than listening to all the negative noise.

If you end your day wondering if there is anything at all good or wonderful or worthy about yourself, then it's time to change the people you hangout with.

How to Take it Back! 

Your Confidence and Your Self-Worth are 

Your Most Valuable Assets

For the next few days, listen to what people are saying to you and at you.  Really listen and be honest with yourself.

During quiet moments, reflect on what you heard and who said it. Write it down.  Is there a pattern?  Does someone in your circle consistently put you down or make you question your decisions? Who is the person?  Close relative?  Friend?  Acquaintance?  Co-Worker?  Spouse?

Do Not Make Excuses For Them.

Time to Keep, Edit, or Delete

Keep:  Who brings you joy, lights you up, lets you be your true self?  Who encourages and supports you to move forward in your life?  These are the people you want to keep in your life.  Your time with them will be prioritized over all other relationships.  

Edit:  Some people you love and care about, but you want to tweak the relationship to increase your satisfaction.  Decide how much time you want to invest in improving the relationship?  How specifically do you need the relationship to change?  Engage in open, honest conversations and you will find a new way forward.

Delete:  Who do you need to let go of?  Who is standing in your way with their continuous negativity and put-downs?  Who is not supportive of you?  Letting go can be uncomfortable, emotional and difficult, but you have to go through with it in order to gain the confidence to live your life the way you envision.

Once you have edited or deleted negative-nellies from your life, you will have more time and energy for the people and relationships that fulfill you and lift you up.  Your self-confidence will grow and you will less stressed and much happier.

About Susan Ball:  Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E.

Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

Something Needs to Be Removed

We easily make assumptions about what we want and need. If we detect an area of our lives is far from satisfactory, we assume that we 'need' something to improve it. 

Sometimes though, what we actually need is something to be removed. 

Before you can gain something you truly need, you want to make space available for it.

After you remove the clutter, you will be free to focus your attention on the new breathing space you have created.  

It is your "space" and it is open to whatever you want that will enhance your life and happiness.

Focus on the positive - donate the negative - develop a new perspective - shake off the drag - do something just for you.

Spring into action and sweep out the old dust!  You'll be grateful you did.

Spring Clean Your Life Workshop on April 24 will quick start your cleaning.

Susan, NLP Success Coach

Single-Tasking or Overcoming Overwhelm

When was the last time you focused on one task and completed it without interruption?

I'll bet  it was quite a while ago and I'm confident in my wager.  My confidence is because I speak with clients everyday in my coaching practice who are struggling with "I'm overwhelmed".

They are average people with jobs, kids, spouses, parents, friends who volunteer and get involved with their children's activities.  Their calendars are filled with due dates, to do lists, task lists, and appointments.  Some of their planned activities actually overlap leaving not even one second from the end of one activity to the start of the next!

Is that even humanly possible?  Is it healthy?  Does it leave time for just simply enjoying life?  NO!

A common result of too much overwhelm and busy-ness, is procrastination.  It all becomes too much and there doesn't seem to be enough time to do anything.

Overcoming overwhelm begins by adopting "single-tasking".  The fine art of doing one thing at a time.  The ability to delegate or forget about it.

Running around like a chicken with your head cut-off filling in the demands of "everyone" except you is not only unhealthy it is unproductive and not sustainable.

Tomorrow look at your mega huge calendar of things to get accomplished and pick one - just one.  Write it down - I will do/finish/meet with/visit/enjoy this one thing.  Do not take on any new projects or appointments.  Break down your task into steps and achieve each step individually and do a good job so you can smile at your success.  

I have become committed to the idea of single-tasking and the health benefits in choosing to back away from the dreaded multi-tasking.  

I would love to hear if you are a single or multi-tasker.

Stress Awareness Week - September 8th to 14th, 2013

Stress is such an unnecessary part of our lives. Stress Awareness Week gives you the opportunity to learn and try new things to help understand, manage, and remove stress in our everyday lives.

Join us in September for the first annual Stress Awareness Week. There are all kinds of free classes and information sessions for you to take part in from JTW, the Cumberland YMCA, Hatha Yoga Room and more. As well as some great workshops

Schedule of Free Events

When What Where

Sunday Sept. 8th (1pm) - Sensory Walk (Susan Ball NLP) at Downtown Amherst
Sunday Sept. 8th (4pm) - Laughter Yoga ( Wallie Simieritsch) at JTW 
Sunday Sept. 8th (6:50pm) - Zumba (Jen) at the Cumberland YMCA

Monday Sept. 9th (8am) - Guided Meditation (Susan Ball NLP) at JTW
Monday Sept. 9th (12noon) - Reconnective Healing (Hazel Coates) at JTW
Monday Sept. 9th (6pm) - Group Hypnosis (James MacDonald CH) at JTW

Tuesday Sept. 10th (12noon) - Reiki (James MacDonald/Kim DiStatio) at JTW
Tuesday Sept. 10th (6:30pm) - Power Pump (Shawn) at the Cumberland YMCA

Wednesday Sept. 11th (8am) - Guided Meditation (Susan Ball NLP) at JTW
Wednesday Sept. 11th (12noon) - Reflexology (Kim’s Goddess on the Go) at JTW
Wednesday Sept. 11th (6:30pm) - Cyclefit (Jen) at the Cumberland YMCA

Thursday Sept. 12th (12noon) - Kangen Water (James MacDonald) at JTW 
Thursday Sept. 12th (5pm) - JTW Open House: Meet and greet with our practitioners

Friday Sept. 13th (8am) - Guided Meditation (Susan Ball NLP) at JTW
Friday Sept. 13th (7pm) - Gentle Yoga at the Hatha Yoga Room

Saturday Sept. 14th (10am) - Drumming Circle (Gretchen Smith) at Victoria Square


Workshops at JTW Natural Health Guidance Centre

Tuesday Sept. 10th: Authentic Self Workshop (Susan Ball NLP)
Time: 6pm Cost: $20

Wednesday Sept. 10th: Feng Shui: Clear Your Clutter, Clear Your Mind (Wallie Simieritsch)
Time: 6pm Cost: $20

Friday Sept. 13th: Authentic Self Teens (Susan Ball NLP)
Time: 3:30pm Cost: $15

Saturday Sept. 14th: Communicating with Children (Susan Ball NLP)
Time: 1pm Cost: $20


For more information or to register for any of these great events and workshops, please contact Charlene at 667-1119

Presented by: JTW Natural Health and Susan Ball NLP Success Coach

In partnership with: Cumberland YMCA, Hatha Yoga Room, Wallie Simieritsch, Gretchen Smith, 
Devine Meditations, Hazel Coates, Kim’s Goddess on the Go, Dianna Stewart

Patience is a Virtue

Recently, I fell and broke my wrist.  Result - an enormous, clunky cast that leaves me typing with one finger!  Slow and awkward.

Through this experience I have learned the value of patience and that staying positive on this journey is the key to a successful outcome!

I will be writing and preparing for exciting programs real soon.

Be Patient - It Will Be Worth It!

Your Journey to Wellness Begins with a Question

Today, I'm going start a regular Honesty Thursday series of posts.  I want to talk about how I have changed my way of thinking and as a result improved my lifestyle.

I have clients who will say to me I want to be like you to which I respond You Can with a little work and authenticity!  There is no magic pill, potion or spell that I can prescribe that will make you get up in the morning with a smile on your face looking forward to the day as an adventure in the making.  The prescription writer is YOU!

Not too long ago I found myself dreading the mornings.  I would wake up thinking yuck, another friggin' day, when will this end, what is the purpose of getting up!  I was dreary to say the least with absolutely no plans for the future and nothing to look forward to.  I was on the cusp of filling my prescription for anti-depressants. I was low and the few friends I had probably hated to hear from me.

I had no money.  I had a dead-end job in a big shiny corporate office.  I squeezed myself into a subway car at a god-awful hour of the morning to be surrounded by miserable looking lemmings.  I had a relationship that had run its course.  I had decided that my present and future would be lonely, broke, and defeated.

Sound Familiar?!?  I'm sure there are folks reading this right now who can relate to how I was feeling about life and you're wondering how did I turn it around.

It started with a good and true friend.  They are the friends who ask you the hard questions.  These are the friends you want.  Tip:  Get rid of the nodders!

We were having a coffee and I was doing my usual life is so rotten, I hate my life, blah, blah, blah.  She kept asking me one question:

So, What Are You Going to Do About It?

What a stupid, irritating question!  I was livid.  I wanted her to find the solution for me, NOW!  For some odd reason, my friend wouldn't cooperate and kept asking me that question.  I went home and decided I would not be friends with her anymore which of course, added to my Down on Life Story.  

A strange thing was happening though.....I couldn't get that question out of my head!  When I would think about my finances and wanted to wallow in self-pity, this little voice would ask "Well, Susan, what are you going to do about it?"  The question followed me everyday and everywhere. I wanted to answer the question just so it would go away!

To begin your Journey to Wellness, here are your first steps:

1. Honestly think about your friends and family and determine who are the "nodders".  Nodders will not help you in your journey.  Drop them from your friends list and replace them with true friends who will ask you to be accountable to you.
2. When you find yourself feeling down because you're thinking about your debts, or how you will never be able to travel to Australia, or how you will be stuck in your dead-end job forever,

STOP, take a deep breath and ask

"So, ____________, what are you going to do about it?"

When we get together next Thursday, you will have decided which friends will truly help you on your Journey to Wellness and you will have started to think about stepping out of self-pity mode into a I Can Turn this Around space.  And that's where we will pick up.....Setting Small Chunky Baby Step Goals.

I'm really looking forward to your comments as you move along with me.  It will be a sort of an e-course in a casual way.  I will provide worksheets, tips and tricks and how-tos.  The end result will be one Incredibly, Fabulous You!

Living in the Present

Are you appreciating what is happening right now, right here?  Or are you focused on something that might happen (future, anxiety)?  Or are you focused on something that happened in the past (depressed, angry)?

When you live in the moment, there is no stress, no anger, no regret; just what's happening right now.  You will be focused on and experiencing the activity at hand.

The only moment you can control is the one that is happening right now.  You can't go back and change the past.  You can't predict the future.  The present moment is the only one you have, the one you can feel, hear, see and smell.  It's YOUR moment.

How to Live in the Present by Breaking the Habit of "Wandering"

Your mind has been trained to wander through the past or think about the future.  When you start thinking about the past or the future, stop yourself by focusing completely on what you are doing right now.  Bring your mind back to the present moment.  Use all your senses to immerse yourself in what is happening in the moment.

Breathe and focus.  Find inspiration in what is happening.  Smile and enjoy.

It takes time and practice to break the mind's wandering habit.  Start by focusing on one action or activity at a time.  For example, walking - feel your feet touching the ground, feel your muscles moving, see the sidewalk or trail going by as you take a step, etc.  When listening, just listen,  When eating, just eat.  When drawing, just draw.

With practice, you will be able to stop your mind from wandering aimlessly.

Living in the Present will bring richness and awareness to your life.  You will appreciate the little things that you have probably forgotten brought you joy.  When was the last time you slurped the juice from a watermelon and tasted all of it's wonderful sweetness?

There is magic in the present.  

Repeat after me:

When I live in the present, I am Happy, Joyful and Free.

It's Okay to Say "NO"

It's not always easy to say "no" to requests, especially when doing so leaves you feeling guilty or feeling you should have said "yes". You may also believe that there are some family situations where "no" is not an option.

Yet to balance self-care it's essential to give yourself the freedom to say "no" to requests that do not serve you. Family responsibilities have their place but too often they become misplaced – running your life at the expense of your own health and well-being.

Saying "no" takes courage and practice.

A simple way to give you time to consider a request is by having a response ready when a request is made, such as:

"I need to check my other commitments."

"I need to check to see if it interferes with plans (my spouse and) I have made."

Alternatively, if you are willing to participate to some degree, counter-offer:

"No, I can’t commit to _______ but I can do __________ (counter-offer)."

If you are clear that the answer is "no" say so:
"Thank you for thinking of me, but no, not at this time."

  Self-Care Exercise

Create a variety of ready responses to requests that have happened in the past or you’re sure will happen soon.  Practice, Practice, Practice!!!  When a request is made, choose a “ready response” – and feel confident when delivering your response.

When you reflect on a request, ask yourself:

• Will this request serve me?
• Will it contribute to me and my life?
• Is my inner-wisdom or gut feeling a "yes" or a "no"?

If you answer "no" to the above questions, honour your inner guidance and say "no" to the request. If you wish, make a suggestion on who might be available to do the job instead.

You will know you are Living Authentically when you can say "no" 

without feeling guilty!

You can do it - Say No