These Words Could Change Your Life

Always on a mission to be inspired and to inspire, I am sharing something wonderful I read today in Elephant Journal.

Sometimes, our lives are so complicated because we make them complicated.

These words could and should change your life.

27 Words that Might Change Your Life

And this is my Daily Cyn........

The Joy Formula

When I was a little girl, there was a song we used to sing at church. It went something like this:

Song Leader: I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart
Congregation: Where?
Song Leader: Down in my heart
Congregation: Where?
Song Leader: Down in my heart
Everyone: I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay!!

This silly song was so much fun to sing and so effective that after several loud repititions even the most uptight Scrooge or Grinch sitting in the church pews could not help but crack a smile. When the song was finally over, everyone was cheering and laughing . 

Troubles and cares were forgotten and replaced with good feelings. I was always amazed at how such a child-like song could help people feel better.  The act of singing caused a supernatural act of believing, which eventually changed attitudes.  Sorrow, anger, fear and other negative emotions were replaced with joy. Something changed in their spirits.

Hmmmm... Very interesting.....

Sometimes, you have to convince your spirit to be happy, despite how you actually feel.  This can be accomplished by singing, by dancing, by doing something that brings you pleasure.  You need to distract your mind from the sad or depressing thoughts that occupy it and focus on something else.

I would never dare suggest that you just need to sing a simple, silly song to miraculously cure your depressing, negative, sad emotions.  That would be awfully juvenile of me.  Our burdens, our cares, our troubles run so much deeper than that and for most people it's going to take a whole lot more than a funny chorus to find and feel joy.

On that note, I read a great article in Elephant Journal this morning about joy.

I would like to share it with you.

The Joy Formula

I hope you enJOY it as much as I did.

And this is my Daily Cyn......

101 Ways to Live Your Live to the Fullest

Forget the Sunday paper. It's mostly bad news anyway.

Here is the Perfect Sunday Morning Reading.

101 Ways to Live Your life to the Fullest

 Enjoy.............

And this is my Daily Cyn.......

Shaken.....Not Stirred

"Vodka Martini. Shaken. Not Stirred" - James Bond


Back when I was a drinking gal, my absolute favorite libation was a Grey Goose Dirty Martini. For those of you who don't know,  it is simply chilled vodka combined with some salty brine from a jar of olives. There is certain technique to preparing this drink and if it's not done perfectly, it can taste pretty awful.


Over the years I have ordered this drink in many places- glamorous night clubs, fancy restaurants, and friendly little neighborhood bars. Most of the time this drink was served to me stirred, not shaken.

A real martini (gin and vermouth) is usually stirred. A vodka martini should be shaken.  The vodka is mixed with ice in a shaker to chill it completely.  A stirred vodka martini tastes like lighter fluid.  A dirty vodka martini absolutely must be shaken.  If not, all that olive juice simply settles to the bottom of the glass, so now you have lighter fluid with a hint of salt. It might take a bit more time and effort, but when a dirty vodka martini is shaken, not stirred, it's perfect. Eventually I learned to just insist it be made the way I wanted it.

This is not going to be a blog about drinking. I have not had a dirty martini in a few years. I love the drink but the drink does not love me.  I am a much better person without it.  I have decided to abstain because one dirty martini leads to two, two leads to three and so on.  Then I do stupid things.  It's a personal choice, but it took a bit of shaking to get me to that point.

I've been reflecting on the phrase "shaken, not stirred" all week--not in relation to drinking but how applies to life. My life. Your life.

Lately my life has been pretty tumultuous. I have experienced one disappointment after the next and sadly, some real tragedies. I have shared some things with you-- others things I choose to keep private.

 Let's just say, "there's been a whole lotta shakin' goin' on"!

For the past ten years, my life has been pretty peaceful. I have experienced ordinary ups and downs mixed with some occasional drama- usually caused by yours truly.  But the last year or two, I feel as if I am living in a snow globe.  Some giant pair of hands is constantly shaking it, just for fun.  Everything is in disarray, everything is coming unglued. Even the things I thought were firmly bolted down and secure are being tossed about. I am simply hanging on for dear life.

There is something to be said for this shaking. There are things I need to pay attention to, things I have been avoiding or sweeping under the carpet for the longest time. I have been coasting through life for awhile now, with nothing more than a sporadic stirring or two.  Stirring temporarily mixes things up, but eventually it all settles down again. Then you have to keep stirring and stirring but you never quite get it exactly the way you want it.

That's when you gotta start shakin' it a bit..........



When you want to wake someone from a deep sleep you can whisper and gently stir them all you want. Their eyes might open for a moment or two but then they will fall right back to sleep. You have to shake them awake: once, twice, sometimes three times. What happens when you do this to a sleeping person? At first, they are angry or  nasty. They resist and fight. But you got what you wanted. They are now awake and paying attention.

Shaking gets your attention.  It wakes you up and you have to do something.  You have no choice. 

Shaking is terrifying.  The solid ground you once stood upon is now sinking sand.  You are forced to move and move quickly.

Shaking makes every piece of you come apart.

Shaking forces you to change because everything around you is changing......

I have finally come to point where I no longer fear the shaking- I just hold on and let it happen. Stirring made me complacent and tasteless. It allowed me to remain in a twilight state, with my eyes half-opened. Like an unchilled drink with just a hint of salt, I was less than satisfying.  I was not satisfied.  I needed to be shaken, not stirred.

Don't fear the shaking. Just hold on. Someone or something is trying to get your attention. When the shaking is finally over, you will be a perfectly blended,  glorious combination of something wonderful.

And this is my Daily Cyn.......

A Vitamin D Dilemma

I am amazed at the amount of people being diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiencies. Almost everyone I talk to lately has been told by a doctor or health professional they are lacking in this nutrient and need to take Vitamin D supplements.

Make no mistake about it: Vitamin D is absolutely essential. We need it to build strong bones and teeth. It helps keep our weight down, elevates our mood, and keeps cancer at bay. In recent research, Vitamin D has been shown to reduce the possibility of ovarian, breast, colon, and prostate cancer.

Scientists have proved that Vitamin D protects healthy cells and prevents the growth of cancerous cells.

Vitamin D sounds pretty essential to me........and we are deficient in it?

 Why?  And what does deficiency actually mean?

deficiency - lack: the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable.

Vitamin D is absent or unavailable? REALLY?!

First.... a little history lesson:

In the 1930s, a vitamin D deficiency disease called rickets was a major public health problem in the United States so a milk fortification program was implemented nearly eliminating this disorder. Currently, about 98% of the milk supply in the US is fortified with 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per quart. So.....if you drink milk every day, you're getting Vitamin D. whether you want it or not! Almost all the foods you eat are fortified with Vitamin D. Don't believe me? Check your labels.

Let's consider what life was like back in the 1930's.

The 1930’s were the years of the Depression. During these Depression years, many people were unemployed and poor. Kitchen appliances were few. Store bought bread was popular, especially Wonder Bread. (YUCK!!!!) However, Pepperidge Farm bread was better, but cost almost three times more. Wonder Bread to rescue! It was cheap and loaded with preservatives so it stayed fresher longer than homemade bread.

What was the typical American diet like back in the 1930's?


I thought people ate much healthier back then compared to how we eat now. But then I did a little research. Our country was in a depression but convenience and junk foods were at an all-time high!

Take a look at some American food brands introduced in the 1930s:

[1930]

Birds Eye Frosted Foods
Wonder Bread (sliced)
Hostess Twinkies
Mott's Apple Sauce
Snickers candy bars (Mars, Inc.)

[1931]

Beech-Nut Baby Foods
Bisquick (General Mills)
Ballard Biscuits (cardboard tube packed refrigerator dough)
Wyler's Bouillon Cubes
Hotel Bar Butter
Tootsie Pops

[1932]

Frito Corn Chips
Skippy Peanut Butter
3 Musketeers (candy bar)
Heath bar (candy bar)

[1933]

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
Campbell's Chicken Noodle and Cream of Mushroom soups
Kraft Miracle Whip
Tree-Sweet canned orange juice

[1934]

Pet Evaporated Milk
Wild Cherry flavor Life Savers
Royal Crown Cola
Carvel (ice cream restaurants)
Ritz Crackers [Nabisco]

[1935]

Adolph's Meat Tenderizer
Kit Kat bar
Five Flavors Life Savers
ReaLemon Lemon Juice

[1936]

Goya brand foods
Betty Crocker (General Mills)
Hungry Jack pancake mix (Pillsbury)
Chunky Chocolate bar
Mars Almond Bar
Fifth Avenue (candy bar)
Orangina (soft drink)

[1937]

Pepperidge Farm Bread
Kix cereal (General Mills)
Spam (Hormel)
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
Ragu Spaghetti Sauce
Sky Bar (New England Confectionery Co.)
Rolo (candy)
Smarties (Rowntree candy)

[1938]

Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Mott's Apple Juice
Nescafe (instant coffee)

[1939]

Lay's Potato Chips
Cream of Wheat (5 minute)
Dairy Queen (ice cream stores)

---SOURCES: The Food Chronology, James Trager [Owl Books:New York] 1995 & The Century in Food, Beverly Bundy [Collector's Press:Portland OR] 2002

YIKES!!!

Vitamin D deficiencies and rickets were first recognized back in the 1700's. In the 1930's, however, it was a major problem. How to solve the problem? Add Vitamin D to milk and make sure everyone drinks it!.

This is just a hunch but I can't help but wonder if all those canned, boxed, processed foods, factory made white bread, candy bars, soda, and snack foods had something to do with Vitamin D deficiencies. Back in the 1930's, unless you lived on a farm, grew your own food and raised your own animals, you were probably eating lots of canned and pre-packaged foods. They were cheap and a had long shelf life. How about now? Why bake brownies from scratch or cook a big pot of homemade pasta sauce when it's much easier to open boxes, bags and jars?

Today's Typical American Diet: Fast food, frozen meals, canned soup.....

How many of these convenience foods do you eat? Many of these foods are fortified with Vitamin D, by the way. We are all told that milk does a body good, so we drink it.

So how come some of us are still Vitamin D deficient?

Could it be that a diet of pre-packaged, processed JUNK food has something to do with our absorption of Vitamin D? Soda, candy, boxed macaroni and cheese?

I am no doctor but I'm just sayin.....

Can we get Vitamin D naturally? ABSOLUTELY!!

Do you know what the #1 Source of Vitamin D is? SUNLIGHT!!

I do believe the sun was around back in the 1930's!

Here are some other natural sources of Vitamin D:

Fatty fish, such as salmon, are the most common natural sources of vitamin D. There are also concentrated forms of olive oil that provide high levels of Vitamin D.

Here's a list of some natural fish sources:

o Catfish, (3 oz) provides 425 IU
o Salmon, cooked, (3.5 oz) provides 360 IU
o Mackerel, cooked, (3.5 oz), 345 IU
o Sardines, canned in oil, drained, (1.75 oz), 250 IU
o Tuna, canned in oil, (3.5 oz), 235 IU
o Eel, cooked, (3.5 oz), 200 IU

Wait!  There's more!

•A whole egg provides 20 IU
•Beef liver, cooked, (3.5 oz), provides 15 IU

Okay....Liver? YUCK!!!

Also.....
•Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 ml) provides 1360 IU

And......for those of us who are Vegans:

•Mushrooms are the only vegan source of vitamin D

Good thing I love mushrooms!!!

When was the last time you ate any of these foods?

Before you rush to the drug store to buy your bottle of Vitamin D, why not examine your diet and your lifestyle? Perhaps an unhealthy diet combined with a lack of good old fashioned sunshine is the real problem?

How do we solve this?

A good, well balanced diet with lean protein, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and a daily dose of sunshine is key. Also, look for foods that are fortified with Vitamin D:. breads, cereal, etc. Try to avoid pre-packaged, processed convenience foods as much as possible.

I am a vegan so I don't eat any animal products and I don't drink milk. I do eat some packaged foods like veggies burgers. I drink soy milk now and then. I just checked the ingredients listed on a container of soy milk. Vitamin D is in there!



I recently had my annual physical.  My Vitamin D levels are just fine!

Get outside and enjoy the sunshine! That's the best way to get plenty of Vitamin D. Be sure to use sun-block, of course. Take a walk, do some gardening, do yoga stretches on the lawn, or sit on the porch and sip your morning coffee. Side benefit: an end to those moody blues. You will feel fantastic!

Turn off the TV, the computer, the video games and insist your kids get outside, too. Play with them if you can: baseball, basketball, tag, hide and seek. Remember those games? Great fun and great exercise, too! I am always shocked at the number of kids who are perfectly content to exist for days without ever seeing the light of day! And shame on the parents who let this happen!

Okay.....I must say this, for your protection and mine:

If you have been diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency and your doctor has recommended that you take supplements; don't stop taking them. I would never, ever advise anyone to stop taking any kind of medication or supplements that your doctor considers essential to your well-being.

If you are a brand-new Vegan or Vegetarian and are afraid you are not getting enough of this important nutrient or you have been existing on a plant-based diet for years, you hate mushrooms, and you stay awake nights wondering if you are getting enough Vitamin D....relax - and take your Vitamin D.

If you live on remote site in Alaska and your job requires that you sit in front of a computer 24/7, eat only food from jars and cans, and you never, ever venture outdoors, by all means, take a Vitamin D supplement.

For the rest of us...... a healthy diet and a daily dose of sun is probably all we really need!

And this is my Daily Cyn.......

Does My Shoe-Obsession Mean I'm Not Spiritual?

I recently took an inventory of all my summer shoes and sandals. I have boots, shoes, and sandals everywhere- in closets, on shelves, under my bed and some still in boxes stacked neatly against the wall of my bedroom.  I am a bit of a 'shoe-whore'.  I admit it. I am obsessed with shoes.  I just love them!

The reason I had to take inventory is because times are tough, finances are not what they were last year and sadly there is no room in my current budget to buy new shoes. I must resort to wearing what I already have: LAST YEAR'S STYLES! For a girl like me, that's pretty painful. I am not a foolish person. I know I can't spend money I don't have so I did the next best thing.  I went through all the shoes I own and decided which ones I want to keep, which are still in great condition, which ones need to be sent out for repair, and which shoes I should donate to a worthy cause.

This whole experience got me to thinking.........Does my shoe obsession make me any less spiritual? 



I think of myself as spiritual. I am deep, creative, reflective and aware. I understand that I am a small part of something greater and every thought, action, and word has a positive or negative effect on the world around me. I care for all living things and honor and respect the beliefs and spiritual practice of others; even if they are different than mine.  I pray, I meditate, I nourish my spirit. I practice yoga, I do my part to recycle and help save the planet.  I don't eat meat.  I don't wear fur or leather. I see God in everything: the sunrise, the sea, the flowers, the trees and I can feel His presence in the wind, in a temple, a mosque, a cathedral and even at a rock concert. I try to live my life as God's hand extended to the world, trying to offer words of encouragment, a smile, small acts of kindness on a daily basis- even when kindness is not offered to me. I have faith in things I cannot see, I know things will get better if I just hold on and keep going. I believe this for myself and for others.

That sounds pretty spiritual, don't you think?

But wave a pair of sexy, strappy, five-inch heels in front of me and I am weak at the knees.  I want to add them to my already enormous collection.

I do not buy every single gorgeous pair of shoes I see.  If I did, I would most certainly be homeless.  I would be pushing a shopping cart filled with all my shoes up and down the streets of the city. I've never spent the equivalent of one's month rent on a single pair of shoes. If given the choice between buying shoes or buying groceries, I certainly would spring for the groceries. My shoe collection is not harming or hurting anyone and I certainly have never gone into debt over it. There have been times that my credit card bill arrived and in order to pay it I ate nothing but soup and sandwiches for a week or two.  I live alone.  No one else is depending on me so I can make sacrifices like that every once in awhile. When I was married and brought home a new pair of shoes, I would drag the bottom of each shoe across the drive-way a few times. This way, if my ex complained about another new pair of shoes, I would proudly turn them over and expose the slightly worn soles. Deceptive? Oh yes, but it worked! 

Not very spiritual of me though, was it?

Why I am so shoe-obsessed? It probably stems from my childhood. We lived comfortably but there wasn't a whole lot of money to spend on frivilous things like dozens of shoes. I had a pair of shoes for school, a pair for church and a pair of sneakers for play. That was it. Most of the shoes I had were hand-me-downs from my older cousins. That's the way it was done back then.  Waste not, want not.  I didn't want second-hand shoes. They weren't even shoes I liked. I hated them!  I wanted lots of really nice new shoes like my girlfriend, Jeannie, next door. Her mother worked and was always buying her the coolest shoes. Sadly, her feet were much smaller than mine so she couldn't share. I whined and complained to my parents. My father would say the same thing every time. " I complained I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet!"

Talk about GUILT with a capital 'G' !

I swore that some day I would have my own money and then I would buy as many pairs of shoes as my little heart desired.  And that is exactly what I did. The best therapy in the world for me? A day spent shoe shopping!

So I arrive to yoga studios, health and wellness events, vegan cooking classes, and local reiki circles in my sexy, strappy five-inch heels. Each time, I am wearing a different pair. I introduce myself as a holistic health and wellness professional with a focus on healing the body, mind and spirit.  In my field, most people have a certain look and style.  They live more of simple life which doesn't include a house overflowing with high-heeled shoes.  I know people are thinking, "Is she for real?" 

This makes me feel very unspiritual at times........

The one thing about me is that I refuse to fit into a pre-fabricated mold.  I can't be anything other than who I am. I refuse to be what or who people think I should be. I happen to love shoes. I can't buy every single glorious pair I see so I take some of my passion for shoes and share it with others. I post my shoe of the day on Facebook for everyone to see. It's fun, it's harmless and it's possible that one of you out there is searching for the perfect pair of shoes for a special event and you happen to love the ones I post. That's my gift to you.

Spirituality is many things and different things to different people.  To me, it's acceptance: accepting myself and others as they are.  It's being who I am,  even if I am completely different from anyone else.  It's letting others be who they are. God made each and every one of us so unique and different- with individual gifts, talents, passions and obsessions.  Spirituality is sharing all those things God gave us with others.

Does my obsession with shoes make me less than spiritual? NOPE! It makes me.....ME!

Do you want to be spiritual? Start by embracing who you are....exactly as you are!

Not sure how to start? Come and visit me. Share a cup of tea, a few laughs and a discussion of all things spiritual. Or we can talk about diet, diease prevention, or healthy eating.  What ever you want to talk about is fine with me. I am willing to share my ideas, suggestions, my success and my failures. And if it's a pair of shoes you need or want, I will share those, too. I wear a size 8 1/2!

And this is my Daily Cyn........

Before you get what you want...you must decide what you want......

"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want."

- Ben Stein

What do you want?

Do you want to catch a fish? Grab a pole and go to the place where you know the fish are biting........

You can take this literally or figuratively.  You might not really want to catch an actual live fish.....but I think you know what I mean.  Go where you know you can get what you want. Make sure you take along the tools you will need in order to get what you want.
 
Do you want to look great at the beach this summer? Wishing and hoping and dreaming will not make it happen.  You must do this:
 

Often.............
Decide and then make it happen.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Perhaps you want peace. Our lives are so stressful. We work, we shop, we care for others. We are pulled in a thousand different directions every day.  If you decide it is peace that you want, it will not drop into your lap.  Make room for peace and invite it to come......
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Do you want friendship?  You must be a friend to have a friend....

.
....and be willing to stick your neck out once in awhile and carry that friend when times get tough......
 
Decide that no matter what.....you are going to be a friend. You will have more friends than you know what to do with......
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It's a sad thing when you go through life not getting what you want.....
It's an even greater tragedy when you never know what you want..........
 
Decide what you want and then go get it............
 
The world is your oyster.......

so.....if you decide it's a pearl that you want.....
 
......put on your diving gear and don't stop until you find it!
 
 
 
 
And never settle for anything less.
 
And this is my Daily Cyn........