True Balance Life Coaching - A Life Balance Blog | Great Coaching Websites

True Balance Life Coaching - A Life Balance Blog | Great Coaching Websites

True Balance Life Coaching - A Life Balance Blog

True Balance Life Coaching - A Life Balance Blog
Posted on : April 28, 2008
Union Yoga Sabbatical

Yoga certification training began for me on August 4th.

Asanas (yoga poses) only make up a small portion of the teaching curriculum. We are head long into learning and discussing: anatomy, philosophy, spirituality, sanskrit and meditation.

Thankfully, the dynamic course of study makes the 10 hour days move quickly.

Sandra Carden is a dynamite yogini with 35 years teaching experience and a heart of gold. Sandy shares an eclectic teaching and learning experience. Like a skilled alchemist, Sandy is assisting in converting each of our natural gifts and raw materials into something even more precious than gold.

Admittedly, the transition from my regular routine was a bit rough at first. Waking at 6am is not pleasant for this night owl. I would love to say I'm getting used to it but that would be a load of bunk.

But hey, getting to the mat every morning by 7am is what counts.

On the Super Sweet side of things ...

This life changing experience introduced me to 7 yoginis who have become fast friends.

In an environment this close and personal - We are truly blessed to have the perfect composition of women to "live and learn " with for 28 consecutive days.

By the end of this week all of us will teach our first official class at Union Yoga in Lake Leelanau. Free Introductory Classes will be available on the next three Saturdays at 9:15am and 1:15pm.

There is no longer any doubt that Yoga will be a significant part of my calling.

"It's all good" has become IT'S ALL YOGA!

Next up ...

Combining Life Coaching and Yoga - Which should make for some interesting True Balance retreats.

In Balance and Peace,

Shan ...»

Tick Tock - Managing Your Time

Today it dawned on me that in six short days I will be 100% immersed in a yoga teacher training sabbatical.

Holy CRAP!

How in the world will I ever get my act together personally and professionally to fully enjoy this life changing experience?

Commence with the clarity ...

No need to fret.

No need to freak out.

I have been planning, communicating , preparing and asking for assistance for months.

Here is super swank list of time management tips for anybody getting ready to drop off of the radar for awhile.

  • Communicate with your family, friends, clients and business partners
As soon as you make a commitment to change the world as you know it, start letting people know whats up. Direct communication will build more excitement and create a safe space to begin planning for your time away.

  • Delegate as much as you can as soon as you can
It is okay to ask for help. Get clear about what you need and delegate some of your regular responsibilities. My husband will be taking my daughter to 4H in the morning, my business partner at Seize True Success will be fielding our franchisee business calls, my virtual assistants will be conducting yoga retreat research and submitting professional articles online for True Balance Life Coaching. I will be checking my email and voice mail in the evening for any additional delegation.
  • Keep your clients in the loop
My Life Coaching and Business Coaching clients (save one) have all been willing to revise our regular coaching session times for the month of August. Thankfully the coaching relationships I've fostered are strong enough to ask for occasional flexibility.

  • Let go of any guilt or shame about your choice to experience something fantastic
How many times have you heard the phrase - you only live once? Seriously, it would be
silly to let go of a dream in order to keep everybody happy. News Flash! Everybody is not
happy anyhow ... Go for it! I was momentarily sad to lose a coaching client because of my decision to earn certification, but ... I know I will attract a new coaching client this September to take her place.

  • Make a list of important tasks and create helpful plans
Get clear about the things you normally do that need to be continued while you are away. For me this involves a well thought out menu plan for my family. Special dates, events and due dates will be shared on a white board to keep things straight.

  • Let go of the minutia
Getting wrapped up in minutia can be devastating. The seemingly endless tiny details of life will take care of themselves. Do yourself a favor and allow for some flexibility. Life will go on if the house gets messy or the laundry piles up. Your partner may not do things exactly as you would .... BIG DEAL.


Managing your time is as easy as planning, communicating, asking for help and letting go.

Off I go into the wild blue Yoga Yonder ... I am so EXCITED!




...»

The Happy Dance
A beautiful poem and brilliant video ...

You can't help but smile.

The music you are about to hear was inspired by the following poem by Rabindranath Tagore.

Stream of Life

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

Rabindranath Tagore

Here is the link to your next joyful moment.

www.studiodaily.com/main/technique/9490.html ...»

Enjoying Your Life
I read this article this morning at Daily Om and just had to share it with you! A great reminder about living in the moment. Enjoy ...

Life, in all of its fullness, is happening right now. While our thoughts are sometimes elsewhere, beautiful opportunities and moments are being passed over and lost to the flow of time. And though we cannot possibly fully experience each leaf that falls to the ground, sometimes we get so attached to reaching our goals that we don't pay attention to the wonder all around us. When we do that, we live in a world that exists only in our heads, while we miss life itself. There is so much to be enjoyed and appreciated that we need to remember to pay attention to the present moment, because it is the only space in which we can experience being alive.

We learn from our past, but dwelling on it keeps us from being fully present to life in the moment. We create our lives with our thoughts, but focusing so firmly on our imagined future keeps us from co-creating with the universe, so we might never allow ourselves to live our dreams as they manifest. It's possible to be so happy and comfortable in our inner worlds that we lose touch with the business of life. We may enjoy spending large portions of time in meditation, or focused on our thoughts.

Life must be attended to, and if we are wise, we can enjoy it at the same time. We can awaken ourselves to the moment we are living right now by taking a deep breath and simply looking around. In doing so, we refocus our attention to our location in the real world. Then we can learn to appreciate the process of working toward our goals as much as their attainment. Balancing ourselves between the present moment and eternity, we can experience and enjoy the full range of reality available to us as spiritual beings living on earth.

Daily Om - 7/21/08

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Make the decision that just for this day, you are too blessed to be stressed, too happy to be sad, too hopeful to be depressed, too calm to be rattled, too cheerful to be aggravated, too successful to consider failure, and open to all possibilities ... ...»

Wake Up Women - Be Happy, Healthy & Wealthy

I get excited when I see women breaking new ground that will empower each of us individually and all of us collectively because"¦

"¦ when one of us succeeds in reaching her dreams we all move forward.

I absolutely believe this is something you will want to know about and participate in.

This is simply an opportunity to add your virtual voice to the voice of women from around the world, create value for yourself and make a difference.

There is nothing to purchase and no obligation.

At the 2007 California Women's Conference, Oprah stated:

"I believe women joined together can start a revolution of kindness,
a revolution of love, a revolution of power yet unseen on the planet."

Are you ready to be part of a "revolution of kindness" and "power"?

Wake Up Women BE Happy, Healthy & Wealthy "“ The most anticipated co-authored book "for women by women" in the 21st century is soon to be published.

I am fired up to be one of the Wake up Women co-authors in this ground breaking book.

You will read the inspiring stories of Loral Langemeier, Arielle Ford, Terri Amos-Britt, Debbie Allen, Amy Applebaum, Nicole Brandon and dozens of expert professionals, authors and master coaches from around the world.

Wake Up Women "“ BE Happy, Healthy and Wealthy is not only full of inspiring stories but every author and expert has included tools, strategies and processes for Life's Transformation in the form of "golden nuggets" of guidance and insights. These "golden nuggets" will open up your unique sense of self and empower you to manifest your dreams.

Ask Yourself"¦

Are you ready to live a life you Love?
Are you ready to have balance in your life?

Are you ready to know Peace of Mind?

Are you ready to live your dreams?

Are you ready to increase your prosperity and abundance?

Are you ready to make a profound difference in the lives of others?


If so, then Wake Up Women BE Happy, Healthy & Wealthy is a must have.

Right Now as one of the Creators of this fabulous new series, I need your help!

Please send a message to publishers, booksellers and the world that we want more books
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Join in creating a "buzz" of media and business attention on the wisdom, power and impact of women.

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Go to www.wuwbestseller.com, add your name to the Reserve List and receive your gifts.

When women are living authentically in the feminine energy, doors open, deals close and the magic begins.

Our goal is to share our message and Wake Up Women with 243,971 books reserved in 30 days.

BE a part in sharing of this compelling message and reserve your book today.

Please share this post with friends, family, colleagues and members of your organization so they can claim their free gifts immediately.

The Wake Up Women Team of authors is committed to each individual woman's success, joy and freedom of expression and to creating a critical mass of attention focused on the wisdom, power and impact of women across the globe.

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Thanks for your help!

In Balance,

Shann Vander Leek
Professional Coach & Co-Author of Wake Up Women ...»

Three Inspirational Stories
This is a copy of the moving inspirational commencement address given by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005 at Stanford University. I found this interview a few months ago and shared it with some of my apple geek friends. Today, I found the speech again on Ryze ...

It occurred to me that those of you who frequent my blog would be interested in what Steve Jobs has to say about connecting the dots, love and loss, and death.

Steve Jobs is a fine role model for all of us in pursuit of, and support of personal freedom and spirited entrepreneurial passion.

If you would rather view the commencement check it out on YouTube here.

Enjoy!

#

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5Β’ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky "“ I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me "“ I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it.

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything "“ all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day.

Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades.

Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone elses life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much,

STEVE JOBS ...»

Flexible Living

Flexibility is defined as the quality of being flexible, pliable and supple.

Growing up as a gymnast, the things I could do with my body were simply outrageous ...

Almost as if my spine were made of a slinky.

Thankfully some of my childhood physical flexibility carried over into my adult yoga practice. With this being said, when I think about flexibility, the physical body comes to mind.

My friend Akemi Gaines, a prolific blogger and Akashic Reader, learned that my souls purpose is to learn flexibility of the mind, body and spirit.

To be more open minded ... go with the flow of life.

What is an Akashic Soul Reading?

The Akashic Records are a subconscious data bank of the soul where all past life (and future) information is stored. It is similar to the memory of Universe, containing each individual souls path, purpose, and life mission. An Akashic Reading contains personal information about what your soul most needs to know to fulfill it's mission here on Earth, as well as specific details to attaining your highest enlightened state of being.


The news of my reading was accepted heartily since balance, flexibility and self care is the moniker of my life coaching practice.

AND

Next month's Yoga teacher training experience will prove to be an enormous lesson in versatility.

Akemi's Akashic reading uncovered some of the mystery behind my current goals, dreams and interests.

AND ...

No matter how you feel about this kind of study, the experience was a lot of fun! I will blog more about the Akashic Reading and soul clearing soon. In the mean time check out Akemi's website to learn more about her services.

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Here are some ideas to consider if you want to become more flexible.

  • Physical Flexibility can come in many forms. Stretching, yoga, pilates, gymnastics, and swimming are all fine ways to keep the body young and supple.

  • Mental Flexibility is a matter of sustained learning and child like wonder and curiosity. Pay close attention to children and how they describe and ask questions about their world.

  • Spiritual Flexibility may be as simple as realizing that an open mind can be a great host creating lots of space for peace and understanding.

Namaste' ...»

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - Thomas Jefferson


On this holiday representing personal freedoms and freedom from tyranny, while enjoying gatherings with family and friends,barbeques, parades and fireworks, take a little time and contemplate your own contribution to your personal freedoms.

What does Personal Freedom mean to you?
...»

Choosing Change
This is an excellent article about transition and awareness written by the friend of a friend, and published in the Healing Garden Magazine. Enjoy!

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The dictionary defines transition as - a passage from one state to another, an evolution, an abrupt change in energy state. Every moment of our lives is ripe for change, for positive growth, and for evolution. We just have to choose it.

For many of us, life can become a habit. It takes something major and out of our control for us to change the patterns we follow. We want more but we don't know how to gently shift what we do, without disturbing the pattern, to achieve the improvements we want in our lives.

Every step we take, we can choose to change our direction. Every time we speak, we have the opportunity to use more positive, gentle, or encouraging words. Changes don't have to be big to get results. They just have to come from a place of commitment. Choosing to be fully alive and appreciate the opportunities and possibilities that exist instead of just following the standard path of our day-to-day existence is a mental transition that can become a permanent change.

Read the rest of this article at Healing Garden.com

Marci Grossman is a CPA and writer, energetically choosing to enjoy the experiences that life brings. Visit her website at www.empressmar.com


...»

Personal Development Resources

Lyman Reed from Creating a Better Life has just released a new web-site which is a great value. Lyman gathered a bunch of free e-books, audio programs, and video's on personal development. You can find this resource at freepdmaterial.com - Free Personal Development Material.

Thanks Lyman! ...»

Choose Life Balance
Kayaking Lake Superior

One of the origins of the word BALANCE is "To Dance".

When I named my life coaching business the origins of the words I chose made it easy for me to decide on True Balance (Loyal Dance) Life Coaching. A big part of my professional life involves this loyal dance ... inspiring people to create balanced lives.

With all of this being said, it seems only natural to pose some life balance questions. You will find my answer to each question based on my current experience. It has been my experience that balance is always a personal choice and is always in flux.

  • Do you feel your life is well-balanced?
Today my life is a rich balance of love, family, friendship, nature, writing, coaching and yoga.

  • What does balance mean to you?
Balance means creating a luscious life filled with daily experiences that light me up AND allowing for time to be still.

  • What does being in balance feel like?
Being in balance feels easy like kayaking down the river or floating on Lake Michigan. It's a sense of knowing I can be the person I wish to be if I allow my greatness to unfold. I understand that I don't have to continue paddling upstream to live my definition of a good life.

  • When have you felt most in balance?
Right NOW. For me being in balance starts by honoring my natural rhythm as a woman and entrepreneur. I find that when I honor me and focus on gratitude and creation, I feel a greater sense of well being and balance.

I hope you will take a few minutes and respond to these questions. I would love to know what you think.

... AND

If you are feeling a tad wonky and want to some relief, my complimentary Life Balance E-Course is a great way to get realigned. You are welcome to sign up today.

In Balance,

Shann

Shann Vander Leek ...»

Luscious Living - Part 2
The Olsen Farm, Port Oneida, Michigan

All of this Luscious Living energy made for a sublime weekend adventure with my husband sans child. We decided to take the road less traveled from Suttons Bay to Frankfort, Michigan, via M22. Honestly, this is one of the most beautiful drives in northern Michigan.

The long and winding tree lined road lead us to gorgeous vista points, fresh asparagus stands, fields of poppies, a delightful chocolate shop, enormous sand dunes and breath taking lakes at every turn. The new My Morning Jacket CD became the score of the day. Check out the new My Morning Jacket release titled Evil Urges at Itunes.

Most of the day was filled with cracking up about how lucky we are ... Truly experiencing a charmed life in one of the most scenic places in Michigan. Our luscious journey landed us in the village of Frankfort for a scrumptious meal of Red Shrimp Curry and Sesame Chicken at The Fusion. We got lost in the little shops and almost bought a gorgeous mission style lamp. Thankfully we got away without spontaneously dropping $250 on a lamp.

We took our time getting back home and then settled in for a luxurious nap. Napping is a bonus luxury when your child is away with grandma.

We wrapped the day by making homemade asparagus soup with a touch of coconut and curry.

YUM ...

Note self, when using your brand new powerful blender to make soup, be careful when you turn the machine on before blending scalding liquid. YES, my first foray making soup with the blender started out as a "Blender lid blowing, Shann wearing hot asparagus soup, tragedy". Luckily, I wasn't terribly burned.

Actually, The scene was hysterical. The kitchen and this chef were covered in green asparagus matter. Tom helped me get cleaned up and thankfully after all of the soup making madness, the recipe was delicious.

This day was a spectacular example of Luscious Living.


****

The first 50 people to join the brand new Luscious Living Network created by yours truly at Ryze.com will receive my new E-book, Getting Your Groove Back - A Luscious Living Guide, as a gift for your membership.

Join the Luscious Living Network Today!



Port Oneida Poppies
...»

Luscious Living Network



Living a luscious life is about creating your world around what gives you pleasure, fulfills your dreams and makes you light up.

It is about knowing who you are and expressing your unique gifts in the world through gratitude, passion, connection and abundance.

The purpose / reason why I created the Luscious Living network is to inspire people to discover more passion, sensuality and creativity in their lives.

The first 50 people to join the brand new Luscious Living Network will receive my new E-book, Getting Your Groove Back - A Luscious Living Guide, as a gift for your membership.

Please join the Luscious Living Network Today!

In Balance,

Shann

Join the Luscious Living Network TODAY
to get your Fr*ee E-Book with membership! ...»

Selfish Much?

The standard definition of selfish goes something like this ...

Limited to or caring only about yourself and your own needs or lacking regard for the rights or feelings of others; "shockingly inconsiderate behavior".

Yet, we observe the world through our eyes, ears, tastes, emotions and personal experiences.

How can we not be selfish?

In the book, The Astonishing Power of Emotions by Jerry and Esther Hicks, being selfish is considered a fundamental principle of life. Chapter Three "You cannot be other than selfish, for you cannot observe, perceive, or be other than from your perspective of self. All points of consciousness, even one celled organisms perceive. And they do so from the ever-changing selfish perspective that they currently hold."

Frankly, without individual personal awareness and extreme self care, AKA selfishness, we render ourselves empty and emotionally malnourished. If we we neglect ourselves, how can we be of service to others? Is it possible that our learned aversion to being selfish has created millions of martyred - masochistic human beings?

OUCH!

My definition of selfishness is ... Loving myself enough to create time for daily activities that honor who I am. Practicing this sort of extreme self care or self nurturing allows me to be a better wife, mother, life coach, mentor, and friend.

The first step to embarking on a journey of self care is to make one small change and see what kind of impact it has upon your life.

The following ideas are designed to help you become more kind and loving to yourself. How can this be a BAD thing?

Here goes ...

  • Create some "˜YOU' time. Everyone needs time alone to meditate and recharge. Start with 2-5 minutes for silent reflection. Read a few pages in a book, take a walk, make a yummy new recipe. It really doesn't matter what you do, as long as it's all about YOU.
  • What do you truly want? Are you living your life according to your dreams and desires? Take time to figure out what makes you tick. If you want to explore this idea further, check out the True Balance Life Coaching Life Balance E-Course.
  • Record your ideas . It doesn't matter how far fetched they may be. Have fun letting your ideas fly! I use a large white board and lots of colored markers to boldly state my unconventional intentions as a creative outlet.
  • Journal. Self Expression by journaling is a marvelous tool for clearing your mind. One of the best lessons in the book, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, is creating morning pages. Morning pages consist of three handwritten pages of free thinking - psychobabble journaling daily. It's a blast to witness and record your thoughts as they hop around the page like a juiced up water bug on the river.
  • Log all of your "happy moments." Each day has potential for many small moments that bring joy and happiness. My family shares five "happy moments" each night at the dinner table. We've found this is an excellent way to stay positive and learn more about each other.
  • Move your body every day. When we are caught up in crossing items off our to-do lists, we tend to neglect all the opportunities there are to enjoy our bodies in the process of living. Whether you dance, walk, run or ride, your body and spirit will thank you for the gift. Get up and move your butt!

Should you need inspiration in your exploration of extreme self care, a professional life coach can help you discover your dreams, set big goals, and assist you in moving forward with deliciously selfish and satisfying life.

"I have been a selfish being all my life, In practice, though not in principle." - Jane Austen
...»

Uncovering Veiled Peacefulness

Lake Leelanau after a Spring storm


7 simple steps to uncover and create more inner peace

Positive Thinking

- Attitude is everything ... Why not start by choosing happiness?
The next time you are cranky, think about how funny you are all puckered up
and pissed off.

Breathe

-Breathe deeply for 5 or 6 rounds every hour. I realize this seems silly to some folks, but it really works. Pay attention to your breath and watch your world settle down.

Emotional Energy

-Let go of any excess baggage and learn how to tap into your happy place. Everyone
has a crappy day ... Learn to let it go. Say Ta Ta, Bon Voyage, Later Days to that big
sack of dark stickiness.

Self Love

- Love yourself as you are - right now. Seriously, you are an amazing critter. Embrace your quirks, strengths, deficiences and kindness. There is nobody in the verse quite like you!

Gratitude Power

-Start and end each day thinking about what you are thankful for. Consider writing letters of gratitude to the most important people in your life. Let them know you think they are all kinds of alright.

Meditation

- Whether guided or silent, for one minute or one hour, make time to meditate for your soul. Do it ... No excuses.

Knowing

-Your life is more important than you know. Why night start knowing it now? You are the author of your life's story. What would you like to create? Begin ...

Consciously embrace each step and become aware of how much internal peace you can create.

Peace begins with each of us and radiates out to everyone we encounter. Dig it! ...»

True Balance Organic Tea

Check out our new Organic Tea!

The True Balance Blend is a delightful balanced fusion of white tea, lemon grass, chamomile, calendula and blue corn flowers.

Our proprietary blend is 100% organic and made with love in Leelanau County, Michigan by Light of Day Organics.

Order a one ounce canister today and enjoy our yummy tea goodness.

This is a perfect blend to savor before bedtime or any time you need to relax and unwind.

You are invited to place your order today. (See the paypal button in the upper right of our blog)

$16.00 plus $3.95 shipping and handling.

Nourish ... Enjoy ... Relax ... Drink Tea

In Balance,

Shann ...»

Unconventional Inspiration

Shann at Pyramid Point - Port Oneida, Michigan


What does it mean to be unconventional?

In a quest to better define the clients I want to attract to my
coaching business, I discovered a key word and description.

Unconventional - not conforming to accepted rules or standards.

What does unconventional mean to me?

Original, bohemian, independent, funky, freaky, free, self governing, unfiltered, uninhibited, bold, spicy, maverick, devil may care, quirky, unorthodox, far-out, off beat, eccentric, risk taker, adventurer ...

Unconventional is the polar opposite of politically correctness, plain, normal or dwelling in florescent light.

Having been wildly attracted to unusual original players all my life, creating a business and book project to touch and attract these interesting folks makes perfect sense.

Check this out ...

This week I interviewed a risk averse adventure maverick for my best selling book. I was super charged by the end of our interview. Tom is living life on his terms and changing the world one bold adventure at a time.

Tom Clynes is an author, journalist and photographer whose passion for discovery has taken him around the world. Clynes writes about adventure travel, environmental issues, science and personalities for a wide range of publications. He is a contributing editor for National Geographic Adventure and Popular Science, and the author of the book "Wild Planet."

In recent years, he has covered Ebola outbreaks and armed conflicts in central Africa, retraced Edmund Hillary's climbs in New Zealand, learned to fly in the Australian outback, and chased the ghosts of outlaws and freedom fighters in Iceland, Jamaica and Vanuatu.

Clynes also writes and photographs for The Times of London, Backpacker, Men's Journal, New York Magazine, and The Washington Post. He is a Pew Fellow in International Journalism, and a two-time recipient of the Lowell Thomas Award. His magazine stories often appear in Houghton-Mifflin's "Best American" series of magazine-writing anthologies.

Is Tom unconventional?

HELL YES!

Tom is exactly the kind of exceptional person I want to coach and include in my new book.

"What is this book all about Shann?"

Glad you asked ... GRIN

I am writing a book about extraordinary entrepreneurs and solopreneurs who have achieved extraordinary results ... leading to the creation of life on their own terms. They are interesting, eccentric, bold, creative, unfiltered creatures of the universe who want to share their story with others to inspire them to follow their dreams.

If you or someone you know would enjoy being interviewed for my book, please respond to me at my email address or phone number listed below.

"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight - and never stop fighting."
-E.E. Cummings 1894-1962, Poet

Shann Vander Leek, CTACC
Life Balance Coach, Author and Unconventional Woman
True Balance Life Coaching
Shann AT truebalancelifecoaching DOT com
www.truebalancelifecoaching.com
p: 231.668.1111

Cheers! ...»

Not So Sweet - Food Hangover
Mother's Day weekend was filled with activities symbiont with scrumptious and not so healthy food. Mother's Day dinner put me over the edge of indulgence.

Monday rolled around I was "Eyes Wide Open" from 2:30am until almost 6:00am this morning.

What the?

Could this insomnia be related to the decadent trough of food I consumed over the weekend?

Knowing a little about how the liver functions, I realized how I got myself in this temporary window of being UP all night. The liver plays a major role in metabolism and has a number of functions in the body, including glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, plasma protein synthesis, and detoxification.

The poor bugger must have been working overtime to filter all of the indulgence. Fried fish, bacon and eggs, curry chicken, escargot, crab cakes, and whitefish dip ...

This culinary list reads like food p*orn for the unlawful consumer of TOO MUCH.

My body is begging me for healthy food, rest and recovery from an over the top - food hangover.

Time to reset and detox with a some True Balance* blend tea, chicken broth and fresh veggies.

5 Tips to Nurse a Food Hangover


1. Drink a lot of water. I'm talking about a gallon over the course of recovery day.

2. Drink Tea.* There are hundreds of tea blends that are healing and nourishing.

3. Munch on diuretic foods like: beets, cucumbers, asparagus, artichokes, oats, carrots, cabbage and lettuce.

4. Rest and remember that overeating can cause symptoms of depression. The point is, be gentle with yourself the day after your food frenzy madness (doing my best to follow this advice today).

5. Move your ass and start burning the extra calories you ingested. This need not be
a marathon of pain. Even a 20 minute walk is better then staying down for the count all day. I plan to walk my daughter home from school today.

I hope these ideas will help you reset your body and mind if you find your needing to recover from too much of a good thing.

*I am happy to report that I created a lovely blend of organic tea made with love in Leelanau County at Light of Day Organics. The True Balance Blend will be available for purchase soon. Our blend is a delightful mixture of white tea, chamomile, lemon grass, blue corn flowers and calendula. A one ounce tin is $16.00 plus $3.95 shipping and handling.


My clients and friends tell me I have a winner with this delicate and tasty blend of tea. Our tea will be available for sale on the True Balance website, blog and Squidoo lens later this week. Email me if you want to order a tin today.

Drink, Enjoy, Relax ... Drink Tea. ...»

Ready to Hire a Life Coach?
If you are ready to make some significant changes in the way you live and you have some targeted goals to achieve, a professional coach could be a great option for you.

The key is to find the right one. By doing a little homework, asking friends and family for referrals along with interviewing potential coaches, you should have no trouble finding a coach who complements your personality and situation.

Here are some questions to ask anyone you interview:

How long have you been a coach and how many clients have you worked with?

Are you certified? If not, why?

What is your most dramatic success story?

What is a more typical client experience?

Do you have a specific approach, philosophy that you use when working with clients?

Do you have expertise in any specific areas?

What is accomplished in each coaching session?

How long are the sessions and how many per month?

If you were to ask me these questions I would answer as follows:

I have been a sales and marketing coach for 16 years and have coached hundreds of sales professionals and business owners. I have been coaching in my practice for two years.

I am a Coach Training Alliance Certified Professional Coach

Helping an entrepreneur become an outstanding sales person and create a magical life!

Great life success stories and lasting friendships

My philosophy encompasses extreme self care, creativity, honesty and personal development

"Solo" preneur Coaching, Life Balance Coaching, Transition Coaching and Sales Coaching

One or Two key agenda areas are discussed along with client action plans

Coaching sessions are 45 -50 minutes in length, three times each month with unlimited email. IM coaching and group coaching are also available.

People I want to coach are:

... abstract, fearless, unconventional
People who feel that playing follow the leader is for 5 year olds
People who feel that life is a gift
People who feel that a quick wit is marvelous
People who think that success is attainable
People who feel the laws of attraction are in play
People who feel that living out loud is the only way to live
Clients who enjoy a wicked sense of humor
Clients who feel recharged by nature
Clients who are genuine, silly and kind
Clients who feel good about who they are
Clients who feel that taking risks is a part of living a good life
Clients who think it's important to have integrity
Clients who feel that being ordinary is unacceptable
Friends who aren't afraid to open the hood and look inside themselves
Friends who believe in forgiveness
Friends who have an idealistic / reality mixed view of the world
Friends who are upbeat and positive
Friends who love me and willingly recommend me to friends and family
Friends who think honor, integrity and loyalty are important

Ready to get coaching? Visit my website to set up a complimentary coaching session. ...»

The Planet Earth
This is a beautiful video.

Click here to take a minute to relax and enjoy the energy. ...»

Cranky? Get Over it!

My Friend Tim over at A Daring Adventure tagged me this week to share some of my magic remedies to overcome crankiness. This post was brewing before reading his request.

And yes, Life Coaches do get cranky sometimes.

GRINNING

I woke up yesterday to an email that really bummed me out. I read the text, thought I understood the message and replied with complete surrender.

I was picking my battles and moving forward. As it turns out, I misunderstood the email. RATS...

The day marched on caked with drama and uncomfortable exchanges in order to unravel and clear up the situation.

The day had became FUNKIFIED. The flow of my emotions carried me to what I call the shame pit. Instead of being irritated and allowing the situation to permeate the rest of my day, I had to let it go. Misunderstandings happen and I did my best to resolve the issue. PERIOD.

Lunch with a friend helped me regain my sunny nature.

Here are several examples of what you can do to shift your attitude if you travel to the land of Evil Crankdom and can't find your way home.

Laugh at Yourself

Pay attention to how silly you behave when you are pissed off. Witness all of the extra grumbling, dramatic gestures and drama . This silly behavior is enough to bring about a healthy laugh. Lighten up and get over it!

Clear the Air

Tackle the situation at hand with direct and heartfelt honesty. (After sitting with the issue for awhile) Too many of us walk around carrying luggage full of passive aggressive issues. This is not about CONFRONTATION, this is about clearing the air of any misunderstandings.

Go to the Water

When EVIL Shann shows herself, I gravitate toward water. Thankfully, I am never to far from beautiful lakes, rivers and streams. If I can't get out in the world, I can always get in the tub. Getting into the bath is one way to rid ourselves of the uncomfortable stickiness that can accompany an anxiety filled bad mood.

Concentrate on your Breath

Deep breathing can eliminate the stress of a bad mood. Thankfully, wherever you go ... There you are breathing. Zero in on your breath when you are all cranky and moody blue. Breathe in deeply, hold it for a a few seconds and breathe out. Repeat a few times and experience a much needed chill factor.

Do not engage in conversation
(Unless you have a friend that can take it)

Two schools of thought here.

The first is to be quiet and deal with your particular brand of madness in your own. Doing all you can to be left alone while you work things out. Decapitating loved ones with your venom filled tongue only causes more angst.

The second is to call your closest friend and let them know you are chalked full of crazy madness and you need to let it fly. Knowing you well, they will hold a space for you and let you tear up the issue with bolts of lightening and thunder. Normally this leads back to much laughter.

Does anybody remember laughter? ...»

Yoga Sabbatical in Lake Leelanau

Sandra Carden is teaching a 200 level yoga certification intensive this Summer in Lake Leelanau at the Center for Contemplative Arts / Union Yoga.

If you have no idea who Sandy is ...

She is an inspirational yogi, successful business woman and a student of life. Sandy is well respected in the Michigan yoga community and I am grateful to be a part of her teaching program.

My yogi sabbatical starts this August. I look forward to 28 days of intense learning and training from 7:00am until 5:00pm. Why? It's seems only natural to combine my love for coaching, yoga and writing into something even more delightful.

The training will flow quite nicely with the luscious retreats I will host in the coming years.

Diving into this challenging and nourishing opportunity makes me feel shiny and new, like a freshly minted copper penny.

Thank goodness for life changing transitions, spiritual growth, and most of all ...
My family and friends who understand this is the kind of learning that lights the way for more joy all around.

What are you doing to further your passions? Any reason why you can't get started today?

Namaste'

Shann ...»

Life Balance, Massage and Rainy Days


Last Friday the day started by lying in bed listening to the Spring rain tap dancing on my roof.

Stretching and allowing my body to wake up peacefully, I realized my tanks were empty. I was pooped and in desperate need of some down time.

Thank goodness for a scheduled massage later in the morning.

The week had been loaded with " Shann - On" activities.

Parenting, coaching, writing, facilitating a workshop, teaching a night class and hosting a booth at women's evening event.

Frankly remaining "ON" all week kicked my ass.

The morning rain was a symbol of renewal ... We all need to honor our bodies with rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.

For me, body work is one of the best forms of extreme self care.

Here are some beautiful benefits of scheduling regular massage therapy.

  • Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
  • Ease medication dependence.
  • Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow"”the body's natural defense system.
  • Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
  • Improve the condition of the body's largest organ"”the skin.
  • Increase joint flexibility.
  • Lessen depression and anxiety.
  • Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
  • Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles.
  • Release endorphins"”amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller.
  • Relieve migraine pain.
If you live in Traverse City or plan to visit our gorgeous area this summer, here are a couple of amazing women to reach out to for a fabulous massage. I am grateful to know and receive body work from these amazing women.

Jennifer "Jen Moon Bear" Hayes
Sacred Ways of Healing
Jenmoonbear AT yahoo.com
www.sacredwaysofhealing.com
231.392.3835

Ronda Whaley
Kevala
Idaloise AT yahoo.com
231.357.0538

In Balance and Prosperity ... ...»

Mother Earth Day

Earth Day is here and droves of people are creating awareness about
preserving and caring for our magnificent planet.

Here are a couple of excellent blog posts to celebrate awareness of this special day.

Enjoy!

Earth Day, A New Earth, And Energetics

by Edward Mills

My daughter and I had a great day at our local Earth Day festival on Sunday. Compostable balloons from Whole Foods, Seed Balls from a local summer camp, some great music and our awesome Sunday farmer's market combined for an awesome celebration. In the afternoon I planted some salad greens, sunflowers (volunteers from the compost pile) and more broccoli in our garden.

I love days like that and I embrace the belief that "every day is Earth day!" It's not always easy to act in ways that feel nurturing to the Earth. But by staying conscious about our relationship to this planet, our home, we can begin to live and act as if today and every day is Earth Day.

There was a beautiful coincidence - if you believe in such things - in the timing of this week's A New Earth webcast with Eckhart Tolle and Oprah. This week's discussion focused on the discovery and exploration of Inner Space and the stillness you find there.

This is what Tolle writes about Stillness:

Stillness is really another word for space. "¦ You are never more essentially, more deeply, yourself than when you are still. When you are still, you are who you were before you temporarily assumed this physical and mental form called a person. You are also who you will be when the form dissolves. When you are still, you are who you are beyond your temporal existence: consciousness"”unconditioned, formless, eternal.

A New Earth - Oprah and Eckhart TolleIt is through stillness that we can truly connect with the Earth. It is from our Inner Space that we can see the Earth not as an object but as a Being. From within the Stillness we can connect and communicate with and learn from the Earth.

The Earth is an amazing teacher! She has taught me much about the Law of Attraction. The Earth is the ultimate Deliberate Creator.

One of the reasons that many people struggle to attract their desires is because they focus on sending their intentions "out" to the Universe. In order to attract things in the physical world it is equally important to send those intentions "down" into the physical Earth. The Earth provides the medium within which your desires will become "real."

The ability to ground our desires into the Earth was one of the tools we explored in the free Energetics of Attraction teleclass last week. If you missed it you can access the recording on the Energetics of Attraction Resource Page.

You'll also get access to the free report on the Harmonics of Human Awareness. I agree with what Eckhart says in the quote below. When you are detached, or I prefer to call it fully present on all levels of perception, not locked in at one level of awareness, you experience and enjoy life more fully!

Being detached does not mean that you cannot enjoy the good that the world has to offer. In fact, you enjoy it more. "¦ When you are detached, you gain a higher vantage point from which to view the events in your life instead of being trapped inside them. You become like an astronaut who sees the planet Earth surrounded by the vastness of space and realizes a paradoxical truth: The earth is precious and at the same time insignificant.

What steps will you take today to explore your Inner Space, honor the Earth and fully enjoy all the good this world and this life has to offer?

Visit this page to download recordings all of the Eckhart Tolle / Oprah webcasts on A New Earth.

And go download your free Energetics of Attraction Resources before you forget!

##

5 Little Things - To Help The Environment

By Bruce Kuykendall

Today is Earth Day! It seemed only fitting that today's 5 Little Things should be ways to help the environment. Although it would be great if everyone could drive hybrid cars, have solar powered houses loaded with energy efficient appliances - if you are like me, you don't have the resources to just go out and get all those things. But every little bit helps - and in some cases in very big ways. Try these 5 Little Things to do your part!

Turn off the water when brushing your teeth. A conventional bathroom faucet with an aerator uses between 3 and 6 gallons of water per minute. Shutting the tap off while brushing your teeth or shaving saves as much at 3,000 gallons of water per person per year.

Turn off ceiling fans when you leave the room. As a fan generates air movement downward across the skin, evaporation of body moisture takes place, causing a cooling effect. So, unless you are in the room to feel the air movement, that benefit is lost. According to Florida Power & Light, simple things like turning off ceiling fans when leaving a room can save $7.00 per month in energy costs. (multiply that by 340 million Americans - and you have some significant savings!)

Buy a water filter instead of bottled water. The average American drinks 22.6 gallons of bottled water a year. Making all that plastic releases over four pounds of carbon dioxide per person and consumes a surprising amount of petroleum (.005 barrels, or nearly a quart of oil per person).

Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

Wash your clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. There are two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes"”use less water and use cooler water. Unless you're dealing with oily stains, the warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half.

Recommended Viewing:

If you are one of those last people who really don't think there is much to global warming or that you just don't see why you should care, then I strongly suggest that you see the following two videos:

National Geographic: Six Degrees Could Change the World

A Global Warning? (History Channel)

They have been running on the History Channel and on National Geographic - or you can purchase them from Amazon.

Join the movement and take the 5 Little Things Challenge!

##

I'm off to help my daughter pick up trash in our neighborhood. It feels good to know she respects the earth and wants to improve our environment.

In Balance,

Shann ...»

Stress Busters

Photo by Tom Haxby


The Wiki definition of Stress ..

Stress
is the condition that results when person-environment transactions lead the individual to perceive a discrepancy, whether real or not, between the demands of a situation and the resources of the person's biological, psychological or social systems.

My definition of Stress ...

Stress is a condition that creates a sense of deep, dense suffocation which assaults my calm.

Stress, the voracious little bugger that grabs us by the tail and spins us about can be dealt with quite handily by embracing a few simple ideas.

Here goes ..

Meditate - Breathe - Relax

Do it. Meditation is not an exclusive, esoteric thing for Yogi's.
Concentrating on closing your eyes and breathing in and out for
two minutes daily to lower your overall stress levels.

Exercise - Movement - Strength

Do it. Get out of the house or office and move your butt at least once a day. You will feel better with the added benefit of sleeping sound.

Have a good "Ugly" cry

Do it. Let your emotions fly. Have a good "ugly" cry. Need assistance
bringing up your emotion? Rent a chick flick and grab a box of tissue. Crying is good for your soul.

P.S. Men need to cry too!

Road Trip - Adventure - Explore

Do it. Get in your car or on your bike and take a mini road trip. My friend refers to these little trips as "iDays". Change your scene and feel stress melt away.

Read - Get lost in a great novel

Do it. Go the library and check out a great classic. Have a stack of books you plan on reading? Allow yourself to get lost in the story for 15 minutes each day.

Chill - Be Lazy - Relax

Do it. Allow yourself to sleep in on the weekend. Take a delicious nap. Relax and luxuriate in nothingness for an hour or two each week. Lay down on the ground and watch the clouds roll by.

Stress is apart of life. Trust that some of these simple life balance tips will help you move gracefully through some of the more difficult situations in your present world. ...»