Make Morning Meditation as Important as Brushing Your Teeth

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Would you ever leave home without brushing your teeth? Of course not. Really gross. (And if you do, well, um, we can’t be friends) The thought of it would never occur to you. It is something necessary to feel good, to feel refreshed, to start your day. Without ever questioning it, it is simply a vital part of your morning routine.

It only takes a couple minutes.

You do it every single day without fail.

You feel better after.

So what about a morning meditation? Before you offer up a million and one excuses as to why this won’t work, hear me out…

I am still on my healing journey with cerebellar gluten ataxia and will be (lovingly) doing health homework for well, forever. In a nutshell, gluten was affecting the part of my brain which controls motor skills and tap dancing on my nerves. Walking became laboured to say the least and my world became one of sensory overload. The combo of a few minute walk to a din-filled restaurant would take me down before the entrees hit the table. But the one thing that always helped calm down all the symptoms and still does is meditation.

I have always loved meditating and can peacefully sit in silence for long periods of time, on a bench, under a tree,  in crowded areas, in the middle of a rock concert if need be and would do it sporadically. When the pain and exhaustion was too much I would often listen to ocean waves or calm music if I couldn’t quiet my own cranium. Then one day it hit me, if meditation always made me feel so good, helped me to walk better, helped calm down my nervous system and cleared my brain, why wasn’t I doing it every day?  I love fruits and vegetables and eat them every day because they are good for me. Well…meditation is good for me too. And every day seemed like a good idea.

Autoimmunity has forced me to create some new morning routines to keep my wellness on track. I decided to add meditation to the list. I quietly sit down every morning after brushing my teeth and showering.  I usually sit for anywhere from five minutes to ten , sometimes longer.  Even a couple minutes is a gift every morning and lets me start my day on a calm, peaceful, yet energetic note.  Most times I am able to sit with a clear mind but if it does wander, I may choose that morning to set some intentions for my day or give thanks for the positives in my life. And if something pops in my head unexpectedly, I don’t try to push it away, I question what I am to learn from it. There are no words to describe how grounding – and necessary this morning ritual has become.

I don’t have kids so I can already see the parents rolling their eyes. I hear you! I know mornings with kids can be crazy. But if your mornings are hectic, where can you slot in the calm? If you have little ones running around, and literally don’t have 2 minutes of peace, here are some suggestions:

Close your eyes in the shower and calm your mind for even a minute – sit if you want to – why not?

Listen to a relaxing meditation be it sounds or music in your car, on the subway or on your commuter train

Take turns with your partner getting the kids ready in the mornings so you both can carve out a couple minutes to meditate on alternate days

Get up a few minutes before everyone else and alter your morning routine slightly

I am not what you would call a morning person so the fact that this is my new normal is shocking even to me! But I’ve grown to crave it. I can’t imagine missing it. It has become as vital and normal as brushing my teeth.  For those of you thinking of how crazy your mornings are, those of you still rolling your eyes at me right now, I leave you with this – can you carve 5 minutes out of your lunchtime or break every day? And just sayin’…you also brush your teeth every night before going to bed…  Pick a time that works for you and stick with it for 2 weeks.  Looking forward to hearing how you feel.

No, Thank You!

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There are two types of people who completely mess up the compliment process.  I like to label these folks Rebounders and Blockers. Unfortunately, it’s generally women. Let’s break these down shall we? 

Several years back I was chatting with my dear friend Meghan and she paid me a compliment.  As per conditioning and without hesitation, I cheerfully fired a compliment right back at her.  She stared at me, paused and said,” As women, we have zero concept of how to accept a compliment.  We don’t even let it absorb before we feel compelled to send one right back. We need to stop doing this!” As this nugget of wisdom sunk in, I admitted, much to my chagrin, that I was in fact acting like a Rebounder. We talked about this compliment rebounding debacle in depth and realized how very real it was. We made a pact to simply be thankful for a compliment and accept it with a simple “thank you.”  Do you have any idea how hard this was in the beginning?

It actually took me several months of reconditioning to accept a compliment without feeling obligated to send one back. It took me a long time to simply say thanks and leave it at that. This was a gift being given to me.  I did not have to instantly give a gift back.  It’s like your birthday – it’s your special day once per year that earns you presents and praise.  On someone else’s birthday, you give presents and praise.  You would never feel obligated to give your friend a gift on your birthday after receiving one right?  Why? Because we all need individual times to shine and there is a time and a place for everything.

I would love to tell you how I started the “Be a Rebounder No More Revolution” but Meghan instigated all this cleverness. Through our discussions I realized that you actually diminish the energy you are giving another when you fire back a compliment in response to one received.  It is a reflexive statement not a deep generated thought. And you diminish the beautiful energy coming your way by not fully accepting a compliment as a gift with no strings attached. 

This little experiment has taught me much over the years. I make a deeper connection when someone pays me a compliment.  I really listen to what is being said versus trying to come up with an instant comeback.  The compliment resonates deeply within me and I am thrilled that someone has gone out of her way to say something nice. I am happier receiving a compliment as a true gift.  I in turn take care to pay more people compliments but very genuine ones from my heart that aren’t “paybacks” but built upon something truly nice or remarkable that person has done that reflects who she is. This way the compliment is all about her and not an extension of the one sent to me.

Now, with a great track record of accepting compliments, I don’t feel so guilty being a reformed Rebounder especially when I look at the competition – the Blockers.  You know exactly who I’m talking about!  These women never accept a compliment and in fact start putting themselves down to fend off the positivity coming their way.  It wouldn’t be so bad if they just mumbled out of shyness – it’s far worse than that.  When a Blocker is paid a compliment saying how nice she looks, she will loudly exclaim,” What are you talking about? I look terrible. A-w-f-u-l! Like crap! Are you serious?” And if you tell her you like her blouse, she’ll say,” This old thing?  Are you kidding me?”  Not only has she rebuffed a compliment and completely put herself down, she has gone one step further – she has insulted the judgment of the person trying to give it! Hell, she has insulted the complimenter (Is that a word?…It is now)  period! My rebounding isn’t looking so bad now is it?

If we go back to the entire birthday scenario, Blockers are in essence refusing the gifts given to them.  How rude is that?  How would that attitude go down at a party?

“Here’s your gift.”

“I don’t want it. I don’t deserve it.”

“But it’s a really great gift. You will like it! I got it especially for you.”

“I cannot accept it. Take it back and don’t give me a gift again.”

“Sorry to have offended you. I thought it would make you happy.” (Note to self while shaking head: She despises gifts. Don’t buy her any more. She’s cut off)

Kind of a crappy birthday don’t you think? 

I believe accepting compliments and thus accepting positive energy is so important for the psyche, empowerment and a positive body image that I do an exercise similar to this with the girls’ groups I work with. Trust me, a six-year-old thinks it’s ridiculous to refuse a gift! Good. I want them to carry that sentiment into their later years.

Look at your own life and how you and your family and friends give and receive compliments.  Most importantly, know that little ears hear what you say and mimic what you do. Don’t let them think they are anything less than fiercely amazing! By all means, keep giving but realize what beautiful energy exists in receiving as well.  Enjoy the gift.

Heart & Soul: 91-Years-Young Harriett Thompson Breaks Marathon Record

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Oh Harriett, I want to be just like you when I grow up. In June of this year, 91-years-young Harriett Thompson completed her 15th marathon in 16 years in San Diego finishing in 7 hours, 7 minutes and 42 seconds. She crushed the previous record time for her age category by almost 3 hours despite having just finished treatments for skin cancer a month prior. Upon finishing and after completing a myriad of press interviews, she walked through a tunnel created by the joined hands of inspired volunteers, runners and walkers honouring her accomplishment.

Aside from running, the marathoner (I really like saying that) also actively participates in yoga and stretching classes and works out on an elliptical machine. As a former concert pianist, she finds it helpful to mentally play old piano pieces she had performed in the past to get through the long miles of the marathon. Inspiring – at any age.

“If I’m still (alive),” she told competitor.com, “I’ll be back next year.”

Oh, and for those of you thinking perhaps it’s too late to start that hobby or sport you’ve always wanted to try, Harriett took up jogging at 76…

Enough said.

Photo Credit: 98.1 KMBZ

Has Your Look Evolved Out of Conscious Creativity or Habit?

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My closet looks happy. It looks like this website – bright, serene and colourful and reflects all aspects of my personality.  I like to think I have created a website that is peacefully energetic and think my clothing looks the same. But this wasn’t always the case and it took purging my closet and preparing the photos for this site to really wake me up.

Staring at my closet has caused me to ponder the evolution of my wardrobe which in turn meant the evolution of “my look.” Because I am a Taurus, my closet has always been really well organized and ahem, colour blocked. This wasn’t as much for my closet to look neat and tidy, it was more like in a mad dash, I really wanted to be able to find something quickly. For many years of my modelling career, I would literally have to drop everything and rush to the airport to catch a flight. I often would not know in the morning that by evening I would be in another country. Crazy but true.  Often times I had a bag ready to go in the trunk of my car and my passport in my purse.

So what did I pack? Black everything. Black pants. Black top. Black boots. All black. The textures generally coordinated and everything mixed and matched and any piece I hurriedly threw in my suitcase would look great. It worked then. But…I hadn’t been in that dizzying travel space for years…yet my wardrobe stayed in that energy. This hit me when I was looking for outfits to wear for the shoot for this site. I knew the vibrancy of my life , the upbeat energy I was now sitting in after a long health journey and the energy I wanted to project through my website – and my wardrobe was energetically out of alignment. I frequently encourage women to think outside the box with their fashion choices and I wasn’t following my own advice.

Something bigger hit me.  I owned several pieces that had become a crutch for me throughout my health journey. Because my size could radically change due to inflammation, and my body became so sensitive to fabrics, there were months that I actually looked pregnant and nothing fit or felt good. I wore one pair of stretch jeans, a couple baggy black tops and leggings constantly simply because they fit and didn’t hurt. This was not a consciously created look – it was “a look” created out of necessity. I realized this clothing held a lot of painful energy. Interestingly enough, when I made this realization, my jeans literally split in half – and not in a way that could be salvaged in a seam – right in the fabric. Time for change. Hello! The universe is knocking…on my closet door!

As my size evolved throughout my health journey, I started to slowly change my wardrobe. I donated items to charities and consigned others. I made a point of not buying anything black.  I asked sales associates to bring me items they thought would look good on me but only in bright colours. I didn’t balk at any item that appeared and was intrigued to like colours and styles I would not have picked for myself. The black section of my closet started to shrink and more colour started to appear. I would actually stare at it and smile knowing this was another part of me coming out of my dis-ease – living life in colour so to speak.

Do I still wear black clothing? Yes. I do love the look of all black and having dark basics to mix and match is just smart.  But when you hear excited comments from every single person you know along the lines of, ”You look great in that colour,” you should listen to those that know you best! Black is now but one amazing colour in my wardrobe equally balanced by several others. There are days I am in the mood for bold red, stripes, bright blue and many others, and yes, there are days I am in the mood for black. We all have many facets to our personalities and it is important to honour all of them. Wearing that bright yellow jacket in photos on this site is me owning my shift – leaping into a new energy…or more importantly, an energy that has been in me the entire time that needed to be awakened.(And I so enjoyed freaking out all my friends who never would have expected me to buy a yellow jacket) (Still laughing about it)

So, I ask you, are you making a conscious statement in your clothing or are you dressing and buying items, styles or colours out of habit? Does your wardrobe fit the energy you want in your life?  Without spending a lot of money, what small changes can you make to honour all of you through the outfits you choose to wear?  Let your beautiful self shine through every day!

Fashionably Speaking: Mo and His Bows Will Win Your Heart

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I am quite smitten with any child who creates a company so when I saw Moziah Bridges, the dynamic, passionate and sharp 11 year old CEO of Mo’s Bows winning over the tough judges on Shark Tank I couldn’t stop grinning. I admired the fact that the sharks turned down his investment request because they said he was already on the right path. Daymond John, the founder of FUBU, strongly suggested he not take any financial offers and extended his mentoring service instead. I cheered out loud in my living room.

mosbows-2

Mo – the nickname he uses – was accustomed to seeing his father and grandfather looking dapper in three-piece suits growing up. He asked his grandmother to teach him to sew at the age of 9 after being inspired by singers like the Jonas Brothers who would sport bow ties and because he couldn’t find any he liked. And now at the ripe old age of 12, his bow ties reflect his sunny disposition and he selects the fabrics himself offering a variety of colours in polka dots, plaid and several other patterns for $40. And don’t think his creations are just for the guys – Mo’s Bows are worn by males and females of all ages.

Mo has just expanded into pocket squares with the goal of creating neck ties and other accessories in the future. Did I mention he has already surpassed $30,000 in sales, uses some funds to send kids to camp and sells in shops and boutiques in 7 states as well as online? This kid rocks. Watch the video below and try not to grin. I dare you.

So, if you need a bow tie or know somebody that does, consider supporting Mo and his company. We need to encourage amazing entrepreneurial kids like this so they can in turn inspire more kids – and the world.

In Grandma’s Garden

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When I think of my grandma, and I say this with the utmost respect and awe, I think of dirt and dill. The yield she got out of her tiny garden was mind blowing. And it forms many of my fondest childhood memories.

We’d have many conversations about good dirt and bad dirt. One had to have good dirt. Very important. Good dirt was created by composting and tenderly cultivating the garden throughout the year. Take from the garden, put back in the garden. Several years after she has passed, I can still vividly see her hardworking hands holding a handful of rich, dark dirt. I can smell the fresh scent of it mixed with the aroma of onions and dill. The sensory experience of her amazing Hungarian cooking didn’t start the second you walked in the door of the house for a visit, it started weeks before in the garden cultivating the food for the meal for that visit. If it was winter, the experience started months before when she took fresh vegetables and pickled countless jars of pickles, beets, peppers and relish.

Luisa Windischmann

Luisa Windischmann

There was no better way to insult my grandma than to bring her fresh cut flowers. Why would anyone kill a flower before its time? Take it from the soil when someone else could still enjoy it? The rule in our house was that when visiting, potted plants as presents were the way to go. If it had roots and was in dirt, it was safe. It still amuses and delights me to know that her connection to the earth was so strong that this energy carried over to what we brought her for Mother’s Day and Easter and just becauses.

I believe the experiences we had as children stay with us and being in my grandmother’s garden, feeling the dirt in my tiny little hands, absorbing her lessons and knowledge is a part of who I am. Craving fresh vegetables is a part of my being because she instilled in me the love of being actively involved in the energy of the food that I eat. I still delight in encouraging others to try kohlrabi. To this day not many people know what it is. When I was younger, kids would ask,”You’re eating karate? How do you eat karate?”

The garden was a complete sensory experience – feeling the moist dirt in my hands as I tugged vegetables into a huge basket, smelling onions and dill mingled with roses and fresh cut grass, watching birds and animals nibble on sunflower seeds and leaves – and laughing hysterically as my grandpa shooed them away. And to this day, every time it rains, I can still hear my grandparents chime, “Well, it’s good for the farmers.” Rain was always a nourishing blessing, never a curse. And it wasn’t eating that was the most important part of my visits – the entire food cycle was vital and fun. I felt just as proud to take scraps out to the compost as I did bringing vegetables into the house. Subconsciously I knew every part of the process was nourishing the garden – and me.

I don’t feel the need to visit my grandma’s tombstone often because her energy is in a nourishing garden, in fresh picked vegetables, in the air, in the smell of dill at a farmers’ market or beautifully scented wild roses. But when I do go, I would never think to bring fresh cut flowers. She would be mad. I bring instead a large sprig of dill and the scent wafts over the beautiful grounds. I figure if an animal nibbles on it or carries it away she would be thrilled.

I Haven’t Just Changed What I Eat – I’ve Changed How I Eat Too

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I have developed some new habits that make me quite happy…but this comes from having to break some habits that definitely needed tweaking! One I am still working on is this: I need to eat more slowly. I wouldn’t classify myself as a “wolfer” or “inhaler.” I have table etiquette I swear. But when you are the first one to finish your meal at every restaurant you visit with friends, well, perhaps it’s time to slow down.

I got a big wake-up call when I was in deep meditation one day and had a vision of my foods compacting in my body due to eating quickly and not chewing enough. It sort of looked like a big, mangled blob in my stomach. When your Higher Self sends you a message, you listen! At this time I was desperately trying to heal my leaky gut which was causing pain and ripples of problems throughout my body and was becoming deeply in tune with what was working in my everyday life and what needed to change. Because I started to look at food as a means to heal, I knew it was vitally important to start paying attention to not only what I ate but to how I ate as well.

My stomach needed as much help as possible to heal and and I started chewing food more thoroughly to make it easier for my body to break it down. My body was literally not retaining any vitamins or nutrients (to not get overly graphic, let’s just say Hashimoto’s had me visiting the bathroom way too many times) and I was willing to try any little tweak to help improve matters. Even doing this, I realized old habits die hard and I was still diving into my food. I had to force myself to slow down, to breathe. I decided to close my eyes and inhale and exhale deeply before starting a meal. Wow, did this ever make an immediate difference! I had to do this several times throughout a dish when I would find myself picking up the pace again. I needed to retrain myself! In public, I would try to put my fork down more often if I caught myself speeding up.

I took my experiment one step further. As food has been the core element of my healing journey, I realized it wasn’t just feeding my body – it was feeding my mind and soul too. I was really grateful that it was helping to fix me. Like I had learned as a kid and then abandoned except for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I started to say a silent meditative “thanks” in my head for the food before me and the energy it was providing me. This further helped me slow down. But most importantly, this healthy food that I was consuming was infused with even more positive energy helping to heal me – and I was a more open, conscious being accepting this nourishment.

Here are a couple examples of what I might say in my mind:

Thank you for this food that is nourishing my mind, body and soul. I am grateful for the nutrients strengthening every cell in my body making me healthier every day.

Thank you to all that shared your energy in order for me to have this meal today. Thank you to the earth, plants, animals, farmers and everyone involved in getting this food to my table, and into my body. I am grateful for the energy you have shared with me.

I also started to look at meal time habits that I had been doing on autopilot. I realized I started my day by turning on my computer and typing and absently eating at the same time. Why? Working from home, it’s not like I was in a rush to “get to the office” and had to do two things at once! Why not start the day in a better way that honoured the continuing effort to heal my body?

I admit I don’t do all this every time I eat but it has evolved into an energetic way of being that has become much more than simply trying to eat more slowly. I am still generally the first person to finish a meal but friends have commented that they are impressed that I have slowed down my pace. It’s nice to linger longer over a restaurant meal with friends, really taste all the spices in a dish I have lovingly prepared for myself or eat my breakfast without automatically turning on my computer while chewing. I appreciate really savouring flavours and noticing the texture of my meals and truly honouring the gifts my food gives me. Food does heal in many ways and it’s nice to take the time to appreciate this process – not only on major holidays.