Monday, April 8, 2024

Small Shifts-Big Results

Today I am reminded of Coach Dave Brailsford*, who took Britain's losing cycling team to win the Tour de France several times. And it occurred to me that this 1% gain is what I use for my clients to enhance well-being without drastic changes or overwhelming goals. And I'd like to share some of the changes to help my clients drastically improve their health.  Let’s dive into the magic of 1% shifts—small adjustments that ripple through our lives. 

Meals 

🍎 1% Better Eating: Instead of radical diets, let’s focus on tiny tweaks. Swap that sugary snack for a juicy apple. Opt for whole grains over refined ones. It’s not about deprivation; it’s about nourishing our bodies one bite at a time. 

🥤 Hydration Habit: Keep a water bottle handy. Sip throughout the day. It’s like watering a plant—consistency matters. Our cells thrive on hydration. 

🍽️ Mindful Meals: Pause before eating. Savor each mouthful. Notice flavors, textures, and gratitude. Mindful eating transforms mere meals into soul-nourishing rituals. 

Mind 

📚 Daily Learning: Read a page, a paragraph, or even a quote. Knowledge compounds. Let’s feed our minds with curiosity. 🌿 

🧘️ Mindfulness Moments: Amid the chaos, find pockets of stillness. Breathe deeply. Observe thoughts like passing clouds. Our minds deserve gentle care. 

🌞 Sunshine Breaks: Step outside. Feel the sun on your skin. Vitamin D boosts mood and energy. A minute in nature—a mini-vacation for the mind. 

Movement 

🚶️ Step by Step: Walk a little more. Park farther. Take stairs. Movement isn’t just about gyms; it’s about life in motion. 

🧘️ Stretch Breaks: Wiggle those toes. Stretch arms overhead. Our bodies love these micro-movements. They whisper, “Thank you.” 

🌿 Nature Connection: Even if it’s a potted plant, commune with nature. Breathe in fresh air. Our bodies crave Earth’s embrace. 

Mathematically when you accomplish this over a year there will be a 37% improvement in your health. 

We can help you create your personal 1% actions. Reach out at calendly.com/judyfeldhausen for a complimentary review. 

Remember, it’s not about perfection—it’s about progress. Let’s celebrate our 1% victories. 🌱 

 *Here is the coach's story: https://bit.ly/Marginalgain

 

Saturday, December 2, 2023

The Words You Use Matter


For some of us speaking is as natural as breathing. We speak without thinking. We don't give a thought to the words we use. We pour out thousands of words- our thoughts, our opinions our judgments and our beliefs. And many of us are oblivious of the effect on our listeners. 

Words have tremendous power. The words we speak give out an energy message and that energy is received by the people who are listening. Everything you say has an effect on the world. It's going to either have a positive effect or a negative effect. We are always creating with our words. People react to our words and it comes back intensified. For example if I was to say something negative or judgmental to a friend of mine, they will judge me back with more intensity. 

 The words that I use can cause pain or anger. And if I use words of kindness, people tend to take that with warmth and friendship. Whether our words are positive or negative, it's going to multiply back at you. The persons reaction is going to be even stronger based on the emotion you attach to it. Because the power of our words have a ripple effect. Words can move us to action.

Think about some of the famous people in history. Patrick Henry - He is famous for the line, "Give me liberty or give me death." and Martin Luther King who stated: " I have a dream." JFK who said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". These words changed history. 

The words you use every day can make the way you think or how you feel change literally in an instant. Your words actually create a biochemical effect in your body. Think about that. I'm going to say some words and I'd like you to listen and feel them: Darkness, Dreary, Turmoil, Sadness, Impossible, Disappointing, Ugly . How do you feel right now? Probably not very good even if I was to say them in an uplifting way, they have a negative effect on our body. But if I say, Light, Love Hope, Joy, Sunshine, Peace, Laughter, Giggling, Success, Victory.............. Can you feel the difference that these words have in your body? 

As human beings we don't think in words or phrases. We think in pictures. the words we use every day are raw materials of our thoughts. The belief system that each one of us started with when we were children and the words that we were taught. 
 
If I were to say,:
Money doesn’t grow on ____ 
What do you think I’m made of ___ 
Money doesn’t buy ____ 
Money is the root of ____ 
Save your money for a rainy ___ 
The rich get richer and the poor get ___ 

So you are probably filling in the blanks, right? You have a mental image of what that looks like. You have a belief system that started from when you were a child. Maybe when you asked for something you were told, " What do you think I'm made of ______?" And you just filled in Money. 

Those belief systems could be holding you back . What if you could change one simple word and you could change your life? I want to talk about this because, I've seen this happen when I talk to clients. There is a big difference about how successful people talk and how people who are not very sure of where they are going to, talk. The words you use today are going to create a belief for your business. 

If you are reading this now, it's because you care about your business, and you are willing to work as hard on yourself as you do in your business. You are a person who is ready to achieve what your incredible opportunity has to offer .

 The words you use matter. One simple word will change a belief from can't to can. Those words create incredible personal satisfaction. Words that you speak have the power to change your destiny. 

What words have been spoken to you that have gotten you where you are today? When I was growing up I was told to be happy with what I had and to not expect more. That not  "expect more" part really stuck with me so as I was making my dreams in college, I didn't have the drive to get to the top of my game, even though I had the talent. I chose to adopt that belief and let go of my dreams. 

Where are you in your business today? You are where you are because of what you spoke yesterday. We just are beginning a new year and what is wonderful about that is knowing we can change where we are and where are going ourselves. So if you want to change your direction, change your words and move yourself up to your next goal. Where you are today is about what you have been speaking. What kind of destiny in your life and in your business are you creating? 

There is an ancient proverb.  "Words kill or words give life. They are either poison or they are fruit." Or how about another favorite "Your mouth can spit venom, or it can mend a broken soul."  You choose. The words you are speaking; are they giving life or are they killing? Are you spitting venom or mending broken souls? 

What kind of words are you using every day? Are you getting up in the morning and saying: I don't know who I'm going to talk to today or I don't know how I'm going to do this. 

Or instead; "This is a Great day, I'm so excited to meet new people and make a difference.:  What kind of things are you talking about? Are they negative and unhappy or full of energy and passion? 

I've had to overcome complaining. As a young Mom I hung around with a lot of complainers. And I have worked very hard to change that. Because those words we spoke about our children have more power than I realized. Because the things you focus on become magnified, you are feeding it. It reminds me of my garden. My weeds tend to double faster than the plants. The negative gets multiplied. 

We get to be a springboard to people's dreams or we become a jackhammer. Just visualize that. With a spring board you jump and you catapult into the air where a jack hammer is loud and it destroys what it comes in contact with. Are your words a springboard to your dreams or are they jack hammers helping to bring others down? 

You can change circumstances by the words you speak. You will possess the things you confess. Challenge each and everyone to start speaking possibilities. Not just the way you think. Sometimes you have to change the words you say to believe what you think. They are the seeds of your thoughts. You can change the atmosphere of where you are by the words you speak. 

The other day I was in a check out line and the customer in front of me was rude and obnoxious to the checker complaining about the prices and arguing about a sale item and I could tell that she was very close to saying something mean back to him and she started speaking back to him unkindly. After the customer left and it was my turn, she looked at me and said, "He was a real jerk."  I could have allowed her words to affect my day, but instead said, " Well everyone isn't having a great day like me. And I know yours is about to get better, too." And she relaxed and smiled. 

You can go into a situation and just by speaking positive words can change that situation. We are what we say. And it is time to start taking responsibility and change the words we speak. Dare to speak encouragement, words of light and uplifting things about your business and your team. Ask yourself what limits you have put on yourself. How many times a day have you said, I can't, I can't, I can't. Every time I think about saying that I hear my mother. " Can't means you won't." 

We have to recognize this. So here are some simple steps to create positive power with your words. 

1. Stop complaining - Out loud and to yourself. When you hear it say something positive. 

2. Start listening to how successful people talk. Follow big thinkers vocabulary. 

3. Use positive cheerful phrases and words, like Magnificent, Amazing, Glorious! Write down and create scripts that you have agreed with in the past and then create a new list of positive scripts of where you want to be. 

4. Start paying attention to what you are listening to. Your ears are not garbage cans. News, and most TV- They are there to alarm you. They will get rooted in your heart and come out of your mouth. 

 5. Tape yourself when you are making phone calls. Ask someone to hold you accountable. 

6. Describe other people with powerful words, Amazing, Wonderful. Use upbeat favorable . positive language to help other people. Be positive on Social Media Be in the business of building castles and not graves .

Talk about things as how they can be and your future will come into alignment with those words. What if it doesn't work? Well what if it does? Nothing happens by chance. 

You have the power in your tongue to change your destiny. Use it wisely.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

There's a hole in that bucket!


So you've heard of a Bucket List right?-- Popular movie about a man who created a to do list of things to accomplish before he died. Well, one of my mentors, the co-founder of ViSalus, Nick Sarnicola inspired me to create a Live List. 100 Ways to enjoy the passions of life. At least that's the way I see it. When I started to create this list, at first it was tiny, just a few real big dreams that would take me years to accomplish. But a dream that goes unfulfilled for a long preiod of time, loses its glow and gets tarnished; and many times gets put on the shelf or even worse, develops a hole in the bucket and slips away.

So I expanded on my focus to be stuff that will bring laughter and joy as I live my life. Some of it as simple as giving someone a hug each day all the way to creating a purpose I can pass through to future generations.

And I get to live it and check it off every day. I get to LIVE the LIST!

Judy's Live List Item #27: Niagara Falls, Maid of the Mist CHECK.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Can You Reach a Goal Too Quickly?


There is so much discussed out there about what happens when a goal is not met and how to not give up, but pull up your bootstraps and trudge on, start over, keep on keeping on, etc. But no one talks about hitting that target early and what to do next. Maybe it doesn't happen often,but surprise,it happened to me.

My current 90 day challenge is to lift my six year old grand daughter weighing 42 pounds OVER my head. At the time I was having a hard time carrying around the 10 month old grand son. So I started with 3 pound weights three times a week and faithfully taking my Body By Vi shakes. Soon I could increase reps and quickly advanced to 8 pound weights. And lugging around the 10 month old was getting easier.

So half way through the challenge, I decided to use the grandchildren as weights and lo and behold, I could lift 18 pounds(10 month old Micah) easily and hold him over my head repeatedly.,

then the 20 pound, Vivienne, not as cooperative, at first, began liking being suspended in the air.

When Lily (the ultimate goal) saw this she wanted to experience flying over Grandma, too. So I took the plunge and picked her up. With success under my belt, I felt that I could make the transition from holding her at my waist to boosting her over my head. (She's the first picture)

And I did. Not once, but several times. And after only 45 days of my challenge.

So of course I'm pumped, but now I'm perplexed. I reached my finish line way ahead of schedule. It's just never happened before. And it's kind of scary.

But really-it's just as important to set a new stretch goal as it is to reset one that wasn't achieved. Not pushing forward and being satisfied with the achievement is fine if that's the end of the road. But if it's not, step it up get some momentum going. If you wait and stay stagnant until the original end date, you will actually lose the advantage that was gained.

What should be done now? I'm out of grandchildren. Anyone want to lend me a 10 year old in 45 days?

Monday, July 30, 2012

At the End and On the Go Day 30 Meditation Experiment

Here it is, the end of the first IM Experiment with many lessons learned and some understood a little more deeply. Read some of my previous blogs for snatches of my learning. One of the biggest lessons was one I learned about meditation and how it applies to me. Although I am a grounded soul, I am not a still person. I am more like the morning glory in front of my garage, secure in the pot, but shoots moving with the breeze

Being silent and in the zone for 20 minutes was more than difficult for me. In fact I did all 20 minutes in one complete session one time. What I found worked for me and my very active life was to break up the meditation four times during the day. And I found that it was not meditating in the purest sense, but was still able to accomplish 75% of the statement which I created. I was able to concentrate and expand on my statement during quiet time and created some amazing processes for both my personal and professional life. For the next 30 Days (Yes, I'm doing it again!) I am redefining and further personalizing my goals to let my mind let it pop up during the day. Anyone that wants to join me for the next 30 days, just contact me through the blog, email, phone, google, smoke signals, mental telepathy or just meditate on it.....

Monday, July 23, 2012

A Piece of Cake Day 23 Meditation Experiment


I've been baking for many years. I learned to cook from scratch and have gotten pretty good at it. In fact I start with a recipe and then just add and subtract ingredients for personal flavor. But recently, much of my family has become gluten free and if you know the dynamics of wheat free cooking it's part math added to our personal flavor. And it includes a mix of flours I had hardly knew existed a few months ago that don't react at all like wheat. But now I've made enough chocolate cakes, that yesterday Geoff asked me to make a gluten free chocolate cake instead of the regular one, because it just tastes better.

Well I've been working on the meditation experiment for 23 days And now it seems almost easy to accomplish. The goal isn't that far away and it's almost become a habit of sorts in saying and memorizing it. In fact I'm already thinking about how to refine and redefine my personal IM statement.

And I reflect that tasks I've done well always seem easier after they are complete no matter how hard the process was. Just like making a gluten free cake.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Time Stands Still Day 20 Meditation Experiment


I live in the present with profound courage, my IM statement says. It is beginning to show up for me with depth. Living in the present allows me to let the failures and disappointments of the past recede to a dim memory. And because I am in the present moment, future expectations don't blind me of current needs. I'm not dreaming about the results while I am with a customer, I save it for my daily goal time. And having profound courage gives me the ability to ask the hard questions I previously avoided because of misguided fear, Being in the now lightens the load in my mind, allows focus and clarity to my tasks and creates time in my schedule as if time was standing still.

Such a simple statement.
"I live in the present with profound courage"