It's a Blessed Life

I feel truly blessed lately.  I have had so many wonderful things happen to me since I started the Dr. Pat Holistic Makeover.  I have been gifted coaching sessions with some of the most amazing people.

 First up was life coach Sharon Roy, http://www.raisinggrace.com/.  I was gifted 3 sessions with this gentle, loving, and truly amazing woman.  I can say with absolute truth that my sessions with her were life changing.  She has such a sweet way with guiding you through life’s journey.  I really admire her greatly!

Sharon and I worked on my lifelong  feelings of lack of self-worth.  I have always struggled with the fact that I don’t feed the hungry, or heal people, or have any huge accomplishments that are physical proof that I’m making a difference in the world or in anyone’s life.  Sharon helped me see that just by my being an open hearted, loving person, bringing my messages of joy to people can sometimes mean more to the universe than someone who makes lots of physical changes to the world but does them with the wrong intentions.  That meant so much to me!  I have been working ever since on living with an open heart. 

This very wise woman also told me that where I was in my life was "perfect".  That the fact that I never heard from my ex after our split was a blessing and all the closure I needed.  She said, "rejection is perfection".  It is the universe's way of telling us that a person or situation aren't right for us.  We shouldn't take it personally and we shouldn't fret over the outcome.  Just bless the moment and move on.  This is a life lesson that I will always thank her for!

Next up in my journey was being introduced to realtor Cathy Staup, http://cathystauphomes.com/.  She is going to guide me to realizing my lifelong dream of owning my own home.  I was very skeptical at first.  I have struggled with money issues and my finances all of my adult life.  But I have also worked very hard over the past two years to pay off my old debt and live frugally by downsizing twice and not purchasing anything new, including clothes, during that two year period.  She introduced me to her mortgage broker and between the two of them they told me I should be ready to purchase a home this summer!

This brought up a whole new set of issues for me.  First of all, I figured I wouldn’t be ready to purchase a home for at least 12 months.  Now they were telling me 4 months?  I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.  Second, it started to bring up the “I’m not worthy” issues in me.  All the self-doubt that I have always struggled with bubbled up like I had never worked on any of it just as recently as speaking with Sharon Roy two months earlier!  Cathy was wonderful in reassuring me that it would all go smoothly with her guidance along the way.  I’m putting my trust in her that it will come true!!

Enter Paul McCormick, http://theauthenticmillionaire.com/, author and millionaire mentor, as my next coach.  He sent me an MP3 of his book “The Secrets of the Millionaire Inside” and said we would talk soon.  I downloaded the book to my iPod wondering, “What is Dr. Pat thinking assigning a millionaire coach to me?”  I didn’t want to be a millionaire!  I just want to be happy, comfortable, and someday retire without worries.  Oh, and own my own home!  Now I was really skeptical of this process.  What could I possible have to say to him?  I was also very nervous to contact him.  I didn’t want to disturb or bother someone with my little problems when I’m sure he was busy making millions and working on huge financial  deals.  But I listened to the book and sent off a tentative email.  He responded a little curt and gave me an assignment.  Yikes!  I hadn’t even talked to him yet and I already had homework.  But I was going on faith and trusting the process.  I was going on the hope that Dr. Pat had a bigger plan in mind and that the universe had given me what I really needed and not what I thought I wanted.

So I completed the homework and contacted him again.  I was so nervous during our first conversation.  I told him what I had written as my goals both financially and professionally.  And I got up the courage to tell him that I truly didn’t want to be a millionaire.  We talked for a long time on that first conversation.  I told him about my family life including raising my daughter as a single parent with no spousal support and my history with money.  I told him of my dream of owning a home and retiring comfortably.  He then changed tactics with me.  He asked me if I was spiritual.  I told him “absolutely”.  So he offered to mail me a copy of his first book which he felt I would get a whole lot more out of than his “Secrets of the Millionaire Inside” book.  I received the book within a couple of days.  It’s called “Secrets of the Miracle Inside”.  I couldn’t believe he autographed a copy of it and sent me a hard copy of his “Millionaire” book autographed too.  I felt honored!  And I absolutely LOVE his first book.  I lent it to my daughter and bought a copy for my friend, one of last year’s Holistic Makeover winners, for her birthday.

Over the next several weeks Paul and I worked out a budget and an 8-step program to get me financially free and owning my own home!  I still have trouble believing it some days.  When I get discouraged and feel like things happen, I call them setbacks, he has had me rename them stepping stones.  They are the stepping stones to my future!  It might take me a little longer than some people and I might have to step over a few more stones along the way but I’m starting see the other side!  I see a really good stable future for myself.  And that’s amazing to me!  He told me that next year after I own my home we can work on making me a millionaire.  I just laughed!  He is confident it can happen and I almost believe him! 

During the past several months I have also been on a weight loss journey.  I began a diet with my naturopath physician and lost the 50 lbs I had gained over the previous two years plus an additional 10 pounds!  I feel better than I have in years.  My aches and pains are almost gone.  I have gone down 3 sizes and continuing to lose.  Dr. Pat then offered 3 sessions with naturopathic nutritionist Beve Kindblade, http://www.seattlenutrition.com/.  I went to see her one Saturday and the first thing she did was give me a test to gauge how well my metabolism works.  And it works very well actually!  Probably due to my stringent dieting for the 5 preceding months. 

Beve also had me go back to my doctor and get tested for allergies.  That was a real eye opener!  I thought I was allergic to wheat but found out that I’m not.  But I am allergic to many other things including dairy and tomatoes.  So I went back to see Beve an additional two times.  She changed my diet and put me on a regimen of supplements guaranteed to assist me in my weight loss.  And between her and my doctor they are working on eliminating the inflammation that has plagued my knees and feet for years. 

I’m so excited to be working with Beve.  She is a wealth of information.  So much so that she fills page after page of information for me to take home after each session.  And my head swirls with all the good ideas and helpful suggestions she imparts.  I am going to continue to work with her on my own and get as healthy as I can during the balance of this year. 

I have truly made some dear, wonderful friends during the process of this Holistic Makeover.  Seven of the most amazing women I have ever known (this includes Dr. Pat).  I know that I will be friends with them for the rest of my life and I will always feel like I have a cosmic connection with them and have learned so much from each one of them.  We have all struggled together and supported each other.  We hold each other up. We are Dr. Pat’s amazing Team of 7! 

But I think the biggest lesson I have learned during this whole Holistic Makeover process is that the world is full of possibilities.  That miraculous things can happen when you trust the universe to give you what you need.  It’s amazing!

The other thing I discovered is that I can write!  I have written a couple of articles and even submitted one to Aspire Magazine.  I haven’t heard back yet but one never knows!  I want to continue writing and submit articles to other magazines as well.  And I love writing my blog and wish I had more time to devote to it.  I would even like to possibly write a book someday. Maybe when I’m sitting on the porch of my new home as a retired, skinny, millionaire?

You never know…life and the universe is so amazing that way!  And that is truly joylicious!

Speak Kindly

Another good one from Cheryl Richardson!

Speak Kindly


Last week I had a conversation with a friend who was disappointed in herself for not achieving a goal that she intended to accomplish. As I listened to her talk about what she could have done differently, I was amazed at how hard she was on herself. Really hard. Isn't it strange how we actually think that berating ourselves will somehow make a positive difference? On the contrary, this negative habit usually keeps us stuck and unhappy. Negative self-talk is always a roadblock on the path to success.

To gain a bit of perspective, imagine saying the following to a teenager who was attempting to fulfill an important goal:

• You don't have what it takes.
• I'll never get it right.
• Lower your expectations. You're not good enough.
• It's already been done. Don't bother.
• You should have accomplished this goal by now.

How often do you say these kinds of things to yourself? Every now and then? Every other day? Every day? Every few minutes? Come on! You're so much more than that.

As you continue to live your life and to invest in your personal growth, please remember the following:

Be patient with yourself. If it takes you longer to get where you want to go, there might be a reason for it. If you could rise above your life and view it from a higher perspective you'd see exactly why things happen as they do. Allow for Divine timing. It works.

Ask for help and guidance. I still catch myself trying to go it alone during the most challenging of times. Slowly but surely I am learning that isolation not only slows down my progress, it makes me feel incredibly alone. You don't need to suffer in silence. Give someone an opportunity to help you. They'll get to experience the joy and pleasure that comes from being a generous spirit.

Embrace your disappointment and begin again. You will always face disappointment when you allow yourself to want more from life. And you can live through it. As you face disappointment and come out the other side, you'll develop self-trust - a deep inner knowing that you can handle anything that comes your way.

Speak kindly to yourself. Think of yourself as the teenager in the example above. When you're feeling discouraged the last thing you need is a critical parent beating you up. Instead, give yourself a gentle, loving reminder that your goals aren't nearly as important as your relationship to yourself.

When you feel stuck or unsure of your next step, keep your heart and mind open with positive self-talk.  As you do, you'll find that wisdom and insight suddenly appear to guide you in the right direction.

Oh the Dilemma!

I have been seriously dieting since last September.  I was on a medically supervised diet for 5 months and lost 58 lbs.  In February I quit the diet in order to work on achieving one of my other goals which is owning my own home.  With that said, I was hoping to continue losing weight on my own.  But this is such a challenge for me!  

Thanks to being a winner of the Dr. Pat Bacilli Holistic Makeover contest, I was gifted coaching sessions with several different types of coaches.  I have worked with life coach Sharon Roy, http://www.raisinggrace.com/Home_Page.html, and I am currently working with author and millionaire mentor Paul McCormick, http://theauthenticmillionaire.com/.  In addition to these two fabulous people I was also gifted 3 sessions with holistic naturopathic nutritionist Beve Kindblade, www.seattlenutrition.com.

The intention was that in working with Beve I could, and would, continue on my weight loss path.  But that hasn't worked out as well as I had planned!  I am finding that my will power is non-existent.  I had a birthday in March and it seems as if it has been non-stop birthday party central ever since with my friends and family celebrating several during the past few weeks.  I try, Lord knows, to keep to a diet but it has been so difficult.  

Beve is an amazing woman and such a wealth of diet information that it boggles the mind to the point of almost being overwhelming as I try to absorb everything she tells me.  She had me go to my regular doctor and get allergy tested.  I found, to my amazement, that I have a severe allergy to tomatoes!  How bizarre!  I'm also allergic to dairy milk so I am trying to adjust to unsweetened almond milk instead.  This is hard as well for me as I love my cereal and milk in the morning!  But I'm thinking that if I can control my allergies maybe I can control other parts of my diet too!  And then, eventually, other aspects of my life.

I guess the deeper problem though is why do I feel the need to eat bad things?  If I have cookies or crackers or anything carbs in my house I will eat it.  It's like it calls my name in the middle of the night!  I can't eat one or two cookies.  I have to eat the whole bag.  Carbs are not my friend!!!  Beve told me that when you crave carbs it is because you aren't eating enough protein.  I tend to believe that a little bit because sometimes when I get a craving I grab some cooked chicken and eat it and it helps take the craving away.  I do the same thing when I'm craving sweets by grabbing an apple.  Sometimes I even bake the apple with cinnamon and nutmeg and I feel like I'm having dessert!  

I eat my salad and protein, drinking my water and minding my own business, and then I get side-tracked.  A party here, a concert/late night dinner there, a night where I'm stressed or depressed, or just too tired to cook, and before you know it…bam…a piece of cake eaten, a bag of cookies gone, and on and on.  And then I feel yucky, my scale is going the wrong direction, and I beat myself up once again. 

One of the things I'm realizing about myself is that if I am held accountable to someone I will be more likely stay on the diet.  But even having to see Beve this weekend hasn't made behave this time.  So that can't be all of it.  I have to dig into my soul and try and figure this out.  What is my resistance to losing weight?  What is my resistance to feeling good?  What payoff am I giving myself by eating poorly instead of a beautiful and healthy body?  It's such a dilemma to me!

Stepping Stones

It's been a while since I posted.  I've been so busy working with new coaches to achieve all my dreams.  But that has come with a price of lots of homework!!  And even though it's all good it's very time consuming!  But I wanted to start writing again and will try to be more faithful in it each day.

Have you ever noticed that when you put a wish or an intention out into the universe and, you are so sure it's going to come true, suddenly things start to go wrong?  You start saying to yourself...why do these things always happen to me?  Or you feel like your dream is slipping further and further away from you no matter how hard you strive to achieve it?  The harder you work the further the goal gets?

I have felt like one of those samurai warriors recently.  Using my arms to dodge and deflect all of the road blocks and incoming negativity that I have come into my path lately!  I'm trying to change my perspective.  I'm trying to view these challenges not as road blocks but as stepping stones to my ultimate goal.  To the future I desire and intend to have.  It might take me a little longer.  I might have to jump through more hoops.  I might change my direction more than once.  But I'm not taking my eyes off the prize.  I'm not changing my intention no matter what circumstances arise.  I'm am just taking a longer, slower path!

I know the direction I want to take.  I know what I'm capable of and I won't take no for an answer.  Even if I have to ask 15 times and ask 15 different people or try 15 different scenarios.  It's just the process or journey I'm on right now.  And I will stay true to myself through out.

Someone quoted to me recently, "the most successful people are the biggest losers".  And it's so true.  Because they take the most risks, ask the most often, get turned down the most often, and work the hardest trying new things over and over until they reach their goals.  What's that saying?  "Never give up, never surrender!"  That should be my new motto!

So if you see me flailing my arms around in my samarai poses know I'm working towards my goals and I will definitely achieve them.  Hai!  Joylicious!!~

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I just watched a video my brother posted on Facebook of a baby laughing hysterically as her dad ripped up a job rejection letter.  He then proceeded to rip up credit card bills as she continued to laugh and laugh.

It brought tears to my eyes at the same time that I was smiling at the baby's exuberance and joy at the sound that ripping made!  It reminded me that the details that adults sweat over, the credit card bills, the job rejection notices, the lack and stresses of life that we all get caught up in, don't mean anything to a small baby or child.  And if you think about it, those things don't mean anything at the end of your life either.

Life shouldn't be about what you have or don't have, what you did or didn't get, what your bills are about.  Life is about moments of laughter, love, and joy.  The memories that you make with family and friends.  Not the negatives and feelings of lack, loss, and not being "enough".   Especially when you don't know when those memories will end.

A co-worker of mine lost his 23 year old son last week to suicide.  He was a handsome, strapping young man with his whole life ahead of him.  His family, and us as co-workers to his father, are devastated at the waste and tragedy this family is experiencing.  One minute it's TGIF and life is good and the next morning it's experiencing the nightmare no parent wants to face.

So please be joyful like the baby and laugh at the small things in your life.  Create the laughter and the memories you can cherish forever.  Not getting that job, not buying that jewelry, not having the best cell phone, XBox, or TV, are not the end of the world.   In the grand scheme of life they don't matter.  What matters is who you love and how you love.

I have always loved this poem.  Don't know who the author is but I would like to share it with you!

A Hundred Years From Now

A hundred years from now no one will remember
How much money I had in the bank
what kind of car I drove
or what kind of job I had.

But I will be remembered
as someone special
because I made a difference
in the life of a child.

UN-Stuck

I've been feeling totally stuck lately.  Trying to forge ahead with my hopes and dreams but sometimes I feel myself getting mired in old habits, old patterns.  My diet seems to be stuck, my money seems to be stuck, my vision of the future feels like it's slipping away and I'm determined not to let it!

I've heard that when you feel stuck you should do something out of the norm to shake up your world.  Something as simple as writing with the opposite hand than you normally do.  Or doing something backwards to shake up the right brain/left brain thing.  So this morning as I took my shower and I turned to let the water wash away the soap from my front I turned left instead of my normal right.  I know that sounds stupid but it actually felt awkward!  And when I got out of the tub I dried off my right leg first instead of my left.  I had to really be careful to balance myself on the side of the tub and wobbled a little bit.  My brain worked really hard to make sure I didn't fall and had to concentrate to make sure I did everything opposite from what I normally do.  I'm trying to change my automatic habits and make my brain work differently.

I was watching the show The Middle on Wednesday night and the mom on the show, Patricia Heaton, began skipping to try and make her son have fun and act childlike.  Her son, Brick, looked at her like she was crazy.  But she said it made her think differently and brought up all sorts of wonderful memories from her childhood.  She even said to her husband, "Remember when skipping used to be our only mode of transportation!"  I think it's the same as doing things opposite from normal.  It got me to thinking that I needed to act differently too.  I haven't skipped in years!  I would probably need a sports bra to do it!  But it might be fun!!  And it might shake things up for me!

I'm going to try and shake up my diet too.  I've been on the HCG diet for 5 months and have lost almost 60 lbs and 3 dress sizes.  But it's very expensive and I think my body is getting to used to the hormone.  So I pulled out my old Dr. Phil diet and decided next week I'm going to try it again.  I'm actually kind of excited because the last time I was his diet I lost 50 lbs and felt great.

This coming Monday I have two appointments.  One is with mentor and author Paul McCormick, http://theauthenticmillionaire.com/, for a coaching session on creating a wealthy mindset.  The second is with naturopath Beve Kindblade, http://www.seattlenutrition.com/, for some metablolic testing and nutrition guidance.  I'm very excited about both sessions and hope they will also shake up things for me!  Both coaches were provided by Dr. Pat Baccili, http://www.thedrpatshow.com/, as part of my Holistic Makeover.

Recently I found this quote from Dr. Susan Smith Jones, PhD that I am keep in front of me and read each day.  It's helping me to keep motivated.

I keep my sights focused on my goals and refuse to get discouraged. I have the strength and determination to follow my heart and achieve my heart’s desires.

I hope you all get your heart's desires and shake things up once in a while!

Wisdom, Light & Love

Hello everyone!  I'm back after a long illness and dealing with other issues in my world.  So happy to be writing again!  Working on several new projects so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I have been reading a wonderful new book called The Joy Factor by Susan Smith Jones, PhD.  It's written so beautifully.  Full of inspiring quotes and great advice.  She says there are 10 sacred practices for radiant health.  The first one is to live your best life. (Isn't that what Oprah says?)

Quoting from the book, "When you change your attitude about yourself from negative to positive, everything else in your life will change for the better."  I've been pondering this a lot.  I tend to denigrate myself often.  I tend to use negative self talk and keep a constant conversation with myself that, I believe, is very destructive.  I feel unworthy or unloveable and this bleeds out into my world in a negative way. 

Louise Hay tells us to look at ourselves in the mirror each day and say, "I love you".  And mean it!  I find that difficult some days.  She suggests starting with just your eyes if you can't say it to your whole being.  Then each day expand your vision until you are looking at and loving yourself fully and wholly.

When you find yourself saying negative or self destructive things about yourself, try and turn it around and bless your body.  Put a smile on your face.  Laugh at yourself.  Meditate.  And definitely give up control of how you "think" you look or act and know that as long as you are in God's grace everything you do and are is OK.  Commit yourself to be the best you can be and let the rest go.  It doesn't do you or anyone else any good to hold on to this negativity.

In her book, Smith Jones suggests cleaning out closets and drawers.  Planting beautiful flowers in your garden, eating healthy, exercising.  Clearing any energy that is negative in your life and replacing it with positive, beautiful, light filled people and things.  Honor your body and honor the space you live in.   Treat yourself with respect and dignity.  Find a good doctor who really listens to you.  And doesn't just medicate you every time you have a complaint.  Listen to your body when it is in pain.  Find the real souce of that pain and treat it holistically if you can.  Drink plenty of water.  Get a good night's sleep.  All these things will contribute to well being.

This will also give you new energy to face the world with a brighter light.  And when you shine bright light and love on on yourself and others it will return to you 10-fold.  Isn't that what we all want?  Fabulously joylicious!

By the way, I highly highly recommend this joyful wonderful book.