" Peace On Earth … "

Heaven on Earth

We need it now

I'm sick of all of this

Hanging around

Tell the ones who hear no sound

Whose sons are living in the ground

Peace on Earth

No who's or whys

No one cries like a mother cries

For peace on Earth

Jesus can you take the time

To throw a drowning man a line

Peace on Earth

~ U2 ~ Peace On Earth ~

***

What did you do this “annual” Earth hour? is the question I was asked.  My answer ... we had an awesome music jam/party at our home.  Tsk tsk!  Well that isn’t very “power-saving” of you now was it? ..... and I just smiled and said, yes you are correct!

My point?  Well, Earth hours gives us a “designated” time to be mindful in honouring our planet.  I read "Dare the World To Save the Planet" …great message!!  Personally, I try to honour the earth in many ways as I am mindful of this whole identity which defines ecological and personal connections.  

“With mindfulness, our relationship with nature will reveal itself” 

~ Leigh Tremaine

Our Planet, EARTH ... full of wonder, miracles, diversity and interconnectedness ... is taken for granted due to our carbon footprints and lack of concern for current and future generations.  

Hence many used the opportunity of “Earth Hour” to feel good about doing “sometthing” for the Earth ... but it’s about more than 60 minutes ...

And we can do more ... so so much more.  We can make rewarding choices which puts us AND our Mother Earth first … we can:

• limit our meat consumption because producing meet requires many more of the Earth’s resources than plant protein
• ride our bikes, take public transit or carpool instead of driving alone
• buy organic! and recycle
• vote with your dollar and choose products from companies that are committed to the sustainability of our planet
• become familiar with your bio region - what native plants, trees and herbs grow in your area and plant!
• support local businesses and economies
• share resources
• ...

The idea is to be mindful of our Earth as much as possible because it’s so not so much what you do but how often you do it that matters.

WWW.WALKSTRONG.CA

" On A Roll … "

“I’m waking up, up on the floor, still looking perfect

I’m walking out, out through the door, into the circus

I jump the train, I never pay ‘cus I’m a rock star

You go with me, there will be drink in a tea ah ...

On a roll again

Rock n roll again

On a roll again

Rock n roll again

Yea yea yea”

~ Icona Pop ~ On A Roll ~

***

You’re “on a roll” is what my husband said, followed with a high five.  Whoop!  Very exciting since he is referring to my handy work in the kitchen ... yes, quite a novelty for moi.

You see, it is a pretty big deal with close to the last 3 years working solely within the Gerson diet.  Now, being on maintenance has its perks, but it wasn’t this simple when I first started.  Once I was provided the “a-okay” to start introducing foods back into my diet, I ... didn’t know what to do.  I had the fear of, but if I eat that, according to the therapy, this will happen.  How can this be???  How can I what-if scenarios regarding food??  

I love food, so what am I so fearful to eat ...

With our human “expectations” of the bad, awful and ugly also comes a choice.  The choice to have no expectation, to take a chance, to live a little and see what happens.  Some may think a bit casual or foolish when it comes to health, but ironically it is exactly the opposite. 

There are so so many blessings that have come from then to now.  And yes, I choose to follow a clean, organic, vegetarian diet AND I allow myself to ENJOY LIFE.  And yes it is actually possible!  

And so, my handy work in the kitchen has resulted in super cool food combinations that have given me back the LOVE OF FOOD ... which I always knew I had within, but put on the shelf for a wee bit ... maybe even some future recipe posts ;)

www.walkstrong.ca

" Don't You Worry Child … "

“There was a time

I used to look into my father's eyes.

In a happy home

I was a king, I had a golden throne ...

Now the memory's on the wall.

I hear the songs

From the places where I was born ...

My father said,

"Don't you worry, don't you worry, child.

See heaven's got a plan for you.

Don't you worry, don't you worry now."

Yeah!”

~ Swedish House Mafia ~ Don’t You Worry Child ~

***

On my daily quest for eternal sunshine, I remind myself that life has ups and downs, we face the good and the bad, we witness the ugly and the beautiful ... day in and day out ... yet the only day, today, is the one to be concerned with.  

Today ... any person can battle just one day, any person.  It is when we add the burdens of those two other days that we can break down.  Those two other days ... yesterday & tomorrow.

remorse or bitterness of something which happened yesterday ...

dread of what tomorrow may bring ...

Do you reflect on yesterday(s) and see it’s mistakes, cares, faults, blunders, aches and pains … 

or do you see lessons, gifts and blessings?  

We cannot undo a single act we performed. 

We cannot erase a single word we said.

Does tomorrow bring burdens, lack of and poor prognosis … 

or do you see opportunities & possibilities?

You can only live one day at a time

Life is unpredictable not to enjoy each and every moment.  Realizing that our time is limited makes every moment even more important.  Yet knowing the importance of living in the moment and taking action is another.  

My spiritual practices has shown me that thoughts are not necessarily reality.  That when my mind is bogged down with concerns, worries, what-if thoughts and imagined scenarios ... I need to intervene, take control and not believe the potentially terrible outcomes my mind has presented ... why?  because I am still here in the most important moment, now.

Staying in the present requires recognizing the difference between what-ifs and what is.

The more we dwell on, the more it multiplies.  No day is going to be perfect but we can choose to focus more on the happy moments than on the painful ones.  

“If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is.”

" The Universe Listened … "

And the universe listened

The story goes on ...

But I will rise again

I believe in love ...

And I will try again ...

Remove the dark

Heal my heart

Make my body whole

I found my angels

Found my spirit

Guess I found my soul

Teach me how

Show me now

This light has taken me

I'm not ashamed

Help me explain

This awakening

 ~ Melissa Etheridge ~ The Universe Listened ~ 

***

Over the last three years, I have not only cleaned up my “diet” but my life.  I have paid attention, nurtured, loved, cleansed, detoxed and most importantly, I have got myself out of my own way.  I knew the universe was talking to me and I listen more and more ...

Clues, coincidences, syncronicities, idiosyncrasies .... rather than decipher I gave it up to the higher source and let it be what it is because my primary goal, my priority project is to heal my life.  

Doesn’t everyone?

Of course … personally, I shed my former life, my former self ... someone I didn’t really like anymore because I knew that my authentic self was suffocated and needed an outlet ... and I didn’t pay attention until the universe got louder ...

Speak softer to yourself ... in an optimistic and positive tone, with intention, on purpose ... 

Reserve judgement of others ... we are all do the best we can and truly have no clue what battles the other is facing ...

Shift energy ... love them rather than please them

Expand your horizons ... listen with an open mind AND heart

Respect yourself ... feed your body wholesome, nourishing, organic, blessed foods

Be open to peace ... create space for the Divine to speak through you

Spread love ... use social media to express GRATITUDE

Embrace your sixth sense ... allow the power within you to guide you

Let go ... just, let it go as you have no control  on what occurs only what you do with

Life is full of better, strength, momentum and stamina.  

Optimism is flowing and gratitude is ALWAYS my attitude ... by striving for better, looking for ways to give back … 

ॐ blessings ॐ

" In Your Honor … "

Mine is yours and yours is mine

I will sacrifice

In your honor ...

For you to feel alive

Can you feel me

Feel me breathing

One last breathe before I close my eyes

This suffering

For receiving

Deliver me into the other side

For you to feel alive

For you to feel alive ...

~ Foo Fighters ~ In Your Honor ~

***

In your honor ... making changes that honor your needs and desires is actually a greater service to everything and everyone around you.  It all sounds great until someone leaves you because they are honouring themselves.  Does that make them selfish and narcissistic now?  

You see, choosing to leave a job, friendship or relationship to make changes in your life that serve you is no different than when someone does exactly the same thing for themselves.  

"One of the hardest concepts for us to grasp is that making choices that honor ourselves and our happiness is actually a tremendous service to those around us."

Prepare to take a risk ... far too many people play it small, stay in stuck relationships and ever become the person they’re meant to be ... take that risk! ... be self FULL not self less !!

The most important PROJECT you will work on is YOU ...

Are you saying to yourself, but I am grateful for what I have right now so ... you see, you can be grateful for everything you have in your life AND desire something completely different AND take steps to make change in your life.

I’ve learned that being grateful for what I have and where I am NOW creates an energy and environment to make changes with ease ... well, easier at least.  

Just think ... does the world really need more people who are doing what the think they should be doing and staying where they are out of a false sense of obligation? ... 

When you honor yourself you step into your truth, you show up fully in relationships and work in the world with joy, passion and on purpose.

... move with purpose because honoring yourself is imperative to your soul’s desire ...

We are perfect souls, here to have a human experience.  And because we are perfect, our soul loves us unconditionally.  But if we don’t listen to our inner voice, our ego will start to celebrate our shortcomings ... doubt, shame, guilt ... when you don’t honor your commitment to YOU, your ego steps in in all it’s glory and your soul? ... it gets quieter and quieter until ... it retreats ... but it is always there, in the background ... it is about having intentions ... it is about taking the time ... it is about being committed to yourself ... it is about practicing stillness ... it is about trusting your inner wisdom ... it is about YOU.

ॐ In your honor ... hear the inner whispers of your soul, discover your truest desires, have clear direction ... attain peaceful knowing  ॐ

" Dedicate … "

I dedicate this song to the love of my life ...
That's why I sing this song to tell you that I love you
'Cause you're my one and only

Oh, you're the one that I adore
And no matter what we go through, 

I'll love you forever and more ...
You'll show me the way back to your heart and that's why

Ooh, I dedicate, ooh, I dedicate

~ Amanda Perez ~ Dedicate ~

***

In the past, I’ve struggled with an obsessive personality ... finding something to learn or do, getting carried away and thinking about it constantly ... becoming so curious and seeking ways to find as much information I could.

Doesn’t sound so bad right?  Well, depends on if what you are obsessing is more destructive than productive to you ...

Ask yourself when is the last time you gave everything you had to make something happen? ... extreme focus and determination, full of passion.  You see, whether you realize it or not, the way you choose to spend your day is ultimately a trade off ... moments of your life in exchange for your current activities.  

do you consciously recognize & appreciate each day of your life with awareness ... are you activities worthy of your life energy ...

Ultimately, to know what counts and what doesn’t, you have to know what motivates you rather than what affects you, being more proactive than reactive.  

“we are punished by what we do, not because of it” 

~ C. Humphreys

I often think about what I will be remembered for ... and really if I will be remembered at all.  So I do my best and choose to dedicate my life to something I consider worthy ... in whatever small way possible.

Perhaps in the end it doesn’t matter what you do, it only matters how you are ... devoting your life to is a way of being.  You each get a choose how you want your life to be, to identify what you value, who you want to be, what you want to stand for and you get a lifetime to practice that.  With no input from anyone but your own heart ... listened in your quietest, most compassionate moments ... with every breath you get to dedicate what is dearest …

" Nice … "

... A careless smile and it begins to snow 

And it hurts me to think 

That you might never know 

That I've got this thing about you 

In case you don't understand 

There's something else I meant to tell you 

There is nothing better 

Than being with you 

And I'm feeling so nice 

There is nowhere better 

Than here with you 

And it's feeling so nice 

Did I already say 

'Cause you make me forget 

I might as well be brave and tell 'ya 

~ Duran Duran ~ Nice ~

***

Are you a people pleaser?  Do you have a hard time saying no?  Do you then find that rather than feeling good, you feel used?  Could just be that you are just “too nice” .... 

Too nice?? How is that even possible?  How can you be too much of something good?  Yes, I have been through this conflict a number of times in my life.  You see, through our struggles and challenges, we develop a sense of sympathy towards others.  We understand everyone has a story and if we take the time to learn about them, we will enrich our lives that much more.  And we also do something for someone and expecting nothing in return.  This how we continue to nurture our relationships for what they are, not what they can give you.  

When you say yes to others don’t say no to yourself...

The “too nice” nature can land us in trouble because we end up being too good for our own good.  We all know that it is never a good idea to let people walk all over you and take advantage of you.  Just think ... if your whole life is spent doing things for everyone around you, where is the time for yourself?

Emotional Chaos ... exhausted, defeated and discouraged ...

Personally, I don’t believe there are “wrong” people.  I believe there are people who make poor choices.  And those choices can apply to a person that is too nice.  How so?  well, a poor reason to be nice to someone is so that they thank you, accept you and raise your social standing.  And I feel that feeling superior when you help others out misses the purpose entirely.

So how do you stop being “too nice”?  

• You and those in your life realize that you cannot be available for them every single time they need you
• You start being “too nice” to YOU 
• Decide who and what is important in your life & put your energy towards it
• If you have to decline, say it confidently, genuinely and respectfully

Understand that the moment you settle for less in your life, you will get exactly what you asked for ... directly affecting your own well-being in mind, body and spirit.  Learn the difference between being nice and being too nice because in the end, it can be for your own good.  

" Coconuts … "

Brother bought a coconut 

He bought it for a dime. 

His sister had another one * 

She trade it for the lime. 

She put the lime in the coconut 

She drank them both up. 

Put the lime in the coconut, 

You drink them both up 

Then you feel better ...

~ Harry Nilsson ~ Coconuts ~

***

Years before, I remember going to the movie theatres and shunning the popcorn because it was popped in coconut oil.  Why?  Because coconut oil was to be avoided due to harmful saturated fats.  Yet research is showing that coconut oil actually can be a source of healthy fats, along with being a versatile ingredient that has dozens of uses beyond cooking.

Coconut oil got its bad reputation in part because of its use when hydrogenated.  Hydrogenated oils and trans fats are especially unhealthy because they raise our LDL (lethal cholesterol) and lowers our HDL (healthy) cholesterol.  

Experts say that coconut oil is considered one of the single most nutritious super foods you can put in and on your body.  Specifically look for organic, unrefined, expeller-pressed coconut oil.  This is the unprocessed product derived directly from the organic coconuts with minimal processing or modifications ... the more processed, the less health value offered.

Avoid low quality coconut oils as they are processed by chemical extraction using solvents which produce higher yields, is quicker and less expensive ... remaining oils contain chemical residues, hydrogenated, bleached and deodorized contaminants.

***

Coconut water or juice 

is the liquid inside the coconut.

Coconut milk 

is from the expressed juice of grated coconut meat & water.

Coconut oil  

is the fatty oil that comes from the coconut meat.

***

We’ve noticed that eating coconut oil on a regular basis has provided numerous health benefits ... healthier skin & hair, weight loss, boosts immunity, better digestion and supported metabolism.  Plus, there is loads of reports on how coconuts can provide relief from kidney problems, heart dis-eases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, cancer and bone strength.  

Why?  ... because of high levels of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid.  The presence of these acids contributes to coconuts antioxidant, anti fungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties ...

Also, some great uses of coconut oil include the following ...

• highest source of natural electrolytes
• substitute for butter, margarine and other spreads
• rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCT) helps with weight loss
• loaded with vitamin E, great moisturizer from head to toe
• alternative choice for an all-natural diaper cream or baby salve (plus safe to use with cloth diapers)
• use for massages rather than other oils
• easily absorbed by hair, use as product to prevent protein loss and damage
• helps treat xerosis (dry, scaly and itchy skin)

Always check with your health care practitioner prior.  
This is for information purpose only.

" How Far … "

There's a boat, I could sail away

There's the sky, I could catch a plane

There's a train, there's the tracks

I could leave and I could choose to not come back

Oh, never come back

There's a chance I could change my mind

But I won't, not 'till you decide

What you want, what you need

Do you even care if I stay or leave

Oh, what's it gonna be

And it's up to you to say ...

And it's up to you to say how far ...

~ Martina McBride ~ How Far ~

***

There are times when you need to reflect back on your journey and take a look at how far you’ve come.  We get caught up in our day to day living that we can lose perspective of what our life use to be like.  

Reflecting back ... three years ago today, 

we had our first day at the Gerson Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico.

Our worlds focus so much on what we lack .. wealth, vanity, image or love, that we get caught in the need to have, be, or do more before thinking that it is good enough at this moment, now.  Reflection allows you to celebrate your progress, however you measure, big or small ...

Looking back, I am amazed as to how this chapter of my life started and where it has lead me today.  I feel a huge sense of accomplishment that I am here, still.  This journey has been tough, adjusting to this new life ... and many times I took rest with my family and friends who gave me comfort and assured me that my journey was still worthwhile ... immense gratitude.

Finding blessing, discovering the gifts, appreciating what is, knowing all is well ... sometimes life’s pivotal moments help you identify your true calling, your true passion.  Life is funny that way, it can through you off course so that you get back on course.  And then the time comes when you are living your ideal life even in an un-ideal circumstances.  

You manage, you cope, you adapt, you live ... Yet one of the best pieces of advice I received was when you fail to acknowledge how far you’ve come, it robs you of a lot of joy and price ... so just because I may not have figured it all out, I still come a long way from.  

It is about finding a balance for striving for your goals but also celebrating your mini-victories along the way ... As you go about your day, try to notice when you shift towards your goals, however small the step may be ... and then honour it in some way.  And although our lives are a constant work in progress, take the time to bask in everything you have achieved thus far ... because the best motivation is to cherish & celebrate each step along the way.

Without deep reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people

 * Albert Einstein *

" Blessed … "

At the first sight of rays of light I hear the birds sing

It's a sign he's given me every thing will be OK

Sometimes when I wake up 

And I'm wondering how my life would have been if I didn't sing

I get a little stressed out every now and then

But problems come and problems go when I'm around him

Blessed in the morning

Blessed in the evening

And again I realize the reason why I sing

Every time, Always

I'm blessed, So blessed

~ Avicii ~ Blessed ~

***

Almost three years ago to the day, we met some very interesting people.  Under the circumstances, grasping for hope, these same people became our life long friends.  One of those friends was Charlie Hardin.

I always appreciated how openly Charlie expressed himself.  From our time in Tijuana till our last conversation, we would share, console, encourage and motivate.  Recently, Charlie had told me how he was getting back into daily activities and continuing to live his life in the present moment.  Charlie said that he felt an inner calmness and quiet peace.  He said “it’s not a state of euphoria, it’s an absence of the self induced inner torment I used to live with daily”.  Charlie's attitude was inspiring …

Charlie often spoke to me about gratitude and how grateful he was for his wife … as in his words “ my gratitude for her is off the charts and in a class all on its own”.  And also expressed his appreciation for earthly angels, friends and family, who were supportive of his choices.  

Charlie told me about his gratitude for understanding the principles of natural healing and how it helped him take control.  He mostly appreciated the peaceful life they had grown to love enjoying nature and outdoor activities in the rich natural environment of their region.  

And I always enjoyed our lengthy discussions, especially on the book “The Tibetan Book Of Living And Dying”, as it brought us both a sense of understanding as to who we really are and why we are really here.  We often talked about how we were tired of tests, doctors and thinking about “that stuff”.  Rather than revolving our lives around cancer, new therapies and new trials, we would rather just enjoy life instead.  Again, Charlie's attitude was inspiring ...

My life is so much more richer having known Charlie Hardin.  His wisdom, kindness, love and sincerity will stay with me till my journey ends.  Thank-you for blessing our lives Charlie, rest in peace friend … 

"On this life journey that I have chosen, I learned a lot, loved a lot and laughed a lot. I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams with a wonderful wife and children and family and friends. The more years I lived, the more tangible God's presence in my life became. That presence has enabled me to have a peaceful mind in this life and it enables me to embrace my transition into the next life without fear." 

 Charlie Hardin