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Still Trying to Force Life?

It’s amazing how much energy we waste in life trying to force things to happen.  Many of us, myself included, have spent years in delusion thinking that we posses some control over other people and over life.

When other people let us down or fall short of the impossible standards that we have set for them or for ourselves, we get thrown off center and become overwhelmed by emotions of anger, frustration, panic or fear that cause us to make decisions that are not in our best interest.

THE TRUTH IS WE CAN ONLY CONTROL WHAT GOES ON INSIDE OF US AND WE ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAY WE ACT AND REACT

We have all heard that in someway before, I’m sure.  I am not telling you anything you don’t know but it’s a lot easier said than done, I understand, I’m right here with you on this.

The key is to remain rooted in your center, learn ways in which to shield yourself from embodying the emotions and fears projected upon you by others and strengthen your inner intuitive voice so that you have an authentic guide for yourself as you move through life.

So how do we let go and cultivate a deeper sense of trust in ourselves and in life? Here is a simple Letting Go Of Control Meditation that I practice has had a profound effect on me:

1. Sit in a quiet, comfortable place with your spine long and connect to your breath.

2. Bring to your heart a situation/person in your life that you are trying to control by your thoughts, words or actions.

3. As you inhale, draw in love and compassion for yourself and/or the situation or person and as you exhale, feel what it may be like to release the control you are struggling to maintain over it/them.

4. Now, place your hands on your heart and feel any fears that are surfacing from the release. This part may be very challenging but the offering here is to really sit with the discomfort for several breaths until you truly feel you have released your grip.

5. Notice the fear that exists in your body without judgement and envision a white light pouring into the top of your head, purifying your body and washing away all of the fear like a river running right through you.

6. Open your eyes when you are ready and continue with your day. Each time you are faced with the situation/person and/or your desire to control, breathe in compassion and release and breathe out fear.

Overtime, you will realize that YOUR FREEDOM lies in letting go of all control and attachment to the illusion of making things happen or of controlling people.  Letting go of this illusion is your gateway to inner peace.  This is yoga. 

Lastly, one piece of wisdom that my best friend constantly reminds me of is that everything has a force and when pushed, it will push back equally as hard.  When we let go, we enable things to move toward us and generally they are the opportunities and people that align most with our higher selves rather than what/whom our minds think we should achieve/whom we should spend time with.

It is important to work hard toward your dreams, put in all the effort you can and then LET THINGS HAPPEN AS THEY WILL. When we try to force situations that are not meant to be, it only causes more suffering for ourselves in the long run.  Let’s get free, shall we?

(image: google)

Love Your Body Now Meditation

Learning to love your body right now, in this very moment is a major challenge for some of us.  We feel that we must DO certain things in order for us to get to a place where we can truly love our bodies. 

I understand this feeling intimately as I always felt the need to get to a certain weight or fit into a certain sized pair of jeans before I could really accept my body.  My obsession to control my body as opposed to love and accept the way that it changed through different phases of my life robbed me of the precious time that I could have had celebrating life with my family and friends and feeling GRATEFUL for the fact that I was strong and healthy.

As a coach, I encounter this way of thinking and feeling a lot.  Many of the women that come to me for coaching have already rejected their bodies and feel that they need to change something.  They usually look at the changes as something physical that they need to do ie. exercise and healthy eating and while those aspects are critical without question to looking and feeling your best, LASTING change will never occur without developing true love for yourself now. 

Life brings so many changes: stress, illness, pregnancy, trauma to name a few and the body responds to these changes in its own way.  Sure there will be imperfections, we all have them but to focus on these things rather than feeling gratitude for what is will not serve you in any way.

SELF-LOVE IS THE MISSING INGREDIENT IN MOST DIET PLANS WHICH IS WHY THE RESULTS DO NOT LAST

In the midst of ‘doing’ we forget the perfection that we already are.  

Here is a special meditation to help us access and cultivate self-love:

1. Find a peaceful, space either outdoors or one well lit with natural light.
2. Sit in an upright position with your spine long, place your hands upon your heart and begin to breath deeply into your belly.
3. When you have connected to your deep, belly breath bring your attention to your third-chakra (solar plexus chakra located between your navel and diaphragm) 
4. As you inhale, notice any energetic blockages in the way of tightness or intensity in this area and as you exhale breathe this out of your body. The colour of this chakra is yellow.  Notice your chakra, is it bright and vibrant or dull and washed out? As you breathe, continue to brighten the yellow colour making it more vibrant with every breath
5. Next, bring your awareness to your heart chakra (the space at the center of your chest between your breasts) and feel the love in your heart as you breathe. Bring to mind the beautiful, perfect child that you were and as you breathe, feel love for that child, for her body, her arms and legs, hands and feet, abdomen and back, chest and thighs. Take a few breaths here inhaling love and gratitude and exhaling fear, control and any destructive feelings you have toward your body
6. Now as you inhale, draw in a white light into your body, washing away any last thoughts and feelings of inadequacy or comparison to others. Feel love encapsulate your entire body and feel your heart glow with love for the child that was once you.  Bring your hands into prayer at your heart center and bow your chin to your chest in honour of your higher self
7. Feel yourself completely surrendering mind, body, heart and spirit to the constant flow of love that exists within you.  Every time you address yourself, make a choice or decision in your day to care for yourself with nourishing, compassionate thoughts and healthy choices, remember the love that you feel in this moment
8. If you find yourself focusing on the negative at any point in time during your day or if you are dwelling on a certain body part or certain feeling, place your hands on your third-chakra and feel the love and acceptance that you have cultivated

**NOTE: This practice is something to incorporate regularly if self-love is something you need to work on

Father

No matter what the circumstances are…whether your father has been a major part of your life, or whether he is a stranger, whether he has supported you or projected his own insecurities upon you, whether he is of the living or of the eternal, whether he is physically with you in time and space or in a far away land, whether he exists inside your imagination or has shapeshifted into another form in this life (perhaps an teacher, uncle, a role model, a guru) who serves the same purpose, I believe that our spirits have wisely chosen the perfect scenario of a father for us.  

In his presence or absence, in his guidance or rejection, in his support and understanding or through his fear, you have cultivated strength that could not have come from any other lesson.  Yogic wisdom teaches us that a father is much more than a physical form, he is an energy that exists within you and one that you may access at any point in time to draw what you need, be it protection, guidance, support or any of other wonderful qualities that we associate with dominant male energy. Isn’t that incredible? 

Today, no matter what your circumstance, I invite you to look at your life and realize why you chose him, and know that what he has brought up in you is a reflection of you and it is beautiful. Celebrate that.

Now Do You Believe In The Power of Meditation?

The reality is, we live in a world where there is still a majority that require proof to substantiate what we feel to be true.  When you sit in silence with your eyes closed and focus on your breath, I mean really bring your awareness to your inhale and exhale, even for a few moments, you will notice a serenity and feeling of connection that cannot be denied.

Scriptures have revealed to us thousands of years ago the importance of creating stillness and space within through meditation so that we may feel our way through life rather than ‘think’ our way through it and believe that we are actually in control. Control is an illusion.  Meditation brings us to this realization rather abruptly and in essence, it gives us the gift of the present moment.  

Meditation, in whatever form you practice it - sleeping in with your love, pushing your children on a swing, running, bathing, dancing or classical meditation - not only boosts your parasympathetic nervous system offering you countless physiological benefits but it calms the mind, heals the spirit and enables you to listen to what your higher self is trying to communicate with you.

For those of you who are new to meditation, I invite you to try a simple meditation today to connect with yourself:

1. You may stand or sit, put one hand on your heart and another on your belly.  

2. Inhale and envision your breath as a white light purifying and healing your body.  

3. Inhale energy, love, joy, respect, success anything that you desire and exhale, pain, sadness, anger, grief, fear, loneliness.

4. Repeat this for a few moments and when you are ready, open your eyes and just notice how you feel.  You may receive messages in your conscious mind throughout the day or over the next couple of days.  Be aware.

Why It’s Important to SWITCH UP Your Workouts

Busting your butt in the gym day in and day out for months but not getting the results you think you should be? 

My first advice is to take a really close look at what you are eating, like literally write it all out in a food journal.  

If that checks out ok, take a good long look at your training program and be honest, how long have you been doing those same old exercises?

SWITCH UP YOUR WORKOUTS EVERY 4-6 WEEKS HERES WHY:

1. It keeps things fresh and motivation levels high
2. Breaks you out of a plateau woot woot!
3. Helps you make new muscle gains 
4. It prevents overuse of muscle tissue and injury
5. Changes the muscle’s path of motion
6. Challenges your body and brain
7. Burns more fat/calories as your body tries to get used to the new movement
8. Prevents degeneration of unused muscle tissue
9. It’s a great feeling to watch your body strengthen at certain exercises at the end of the 4-6 week period
10. You want to change your workouts as YOU change! With new strength gains, fat loss etc, there are new parts of your body that will standout or that you may want to shape, also you may have weaker muscles that require more attention

The biggest difference for me aside from BREAKING THROUGH old beliefs that I needed to eat less to be lean and actually EATING ENOUGH CALORIES to sustain my body and build lean muscle was SWITCHING UP MY WORKOUTS EVERY 4-6 WEEKS, actually, I switch it up every 4 weeks because of the fact that I have been training for years now and my body adapts very quickly.  Listen to your body and see what works best for you!

(image: google)

Why Reverence Changes Everything

I feel extremely blessed to have a mom who never forced religion on me and guided me by telling me to ‘discover my own understanding of spirituality.’ 

It may have taken me many, many, years of wavering, questioning, doubting and remembering, but I now feel I have a clear understanding of what spirituality means to me and this is something that I am still adding to with every experience, relationship and transformation I go through in life. 

The last thing I want to do is give a sermon, and trust me, I have respect for any and all views on the matter of spirituality but what I want to focus on is not so much spirituality but reverence and the power of reverence.

Reverence means to pay respect. It does not say to what, just that it is about paying respect.

I believe that respect is an energy just like gratitude, that can enrich your life, increase your feelings of wellbeing and heal you from whatever you feel is holding you back.  

For me, the regular practice of reverence taught me more about what it meant to respect myself.  From there, I learned about how to love myself and nurture myself.  My intuition grew stronger and in this way, I learned to listen to my heart rather than my head.

Take a moment, right now, and bring to your heart, one thing that you are grateful for.  

Now, imagine what life would be like without this one thing.

Remember, YOU ARE BLESSED.

Pay respect to whatever energy you believe has brought this gift into your life. If you do not have a spiritual practice of your own, it may be helpful to consider paying respect to Mother Nature, Universal Energy, a Higher Power, an Animal Spirit Guide or a Deity that you believe in…the key is to make the practice of respect a part of your life on a regular basis and make it your own.

VEGAN DIET MADE EASY

Thinking about making the switch?  It can be pretty confusing right?

I know. 

With all of the information on veganism out there, it is difficult to understand what exactly you need.  Of course everyone’s needs are different, the key is to ensure that you are nourishing your body with all of the right macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Now before I go further on this subject, I want to say that I am someone who believes that our Higher Self knows intrinsically what is beneficial for us. Before making a major switch, I deeply encourage you to meditate on this decision for a few days until you know that this is the right move for you.  Also know, that a vegan lifestyle may be something that stays with you for a period of time in your life, after which, you may transition out of it. 

Making the switch can be a very healing and empowering decision physically, mentally and spiritually.  A balanced vegan lifestyle linked to an increase of energy a reduced risk of disease a more alkaline internal environment and a healthier physique overall.

Zain’s Balanced Vegan Plan: 

PROTEIN:

Women need between 45g - 60g (if you’re active) 

Men need between 56g - 90g (if you’re active)

Sources

Lentils 1 Cup = 18g/Black Beans 1 Cup = 15g/Non-GMO Tofu 4oz = 11g

Tempeh 1 Cup = 30g/Almonds 3oz = 18g/Chickpeas 1 Cup = 15g

Quinoa 1 Cup = 11g/Peas 1 Cup = 9g/Oats 1 Cup = 7g/

Peanut Butter 2 Tbsp = 8g/Whole Wheat Pasta 1 Cup = 8g

SUNWARRIOR PROTEIN POWDER 1 SCOOP = 17g

IRON

Women require 8mg - 18mg

Men require 8mg - 11mg

Sources

Soybeans 1 Cup = 8mg/Lentils 1 Cup 6.6mg/Kidney Beans 1 Cup = 5.2mg

Chickpeas 1 Cup = 4.5mg/Swiss Chard 1 Cup = 4mg/Molasses 2T = 7mg

CALCIUM

Both Women & Men require 800 - 1200mg daily

SOURCES

Broccoli, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Tahini, Soybeans, Kale, Almonds, Sesame Seeds, Herbs, Flax Seeds, Non-GMO Tofu, Brazil Nuts

OMGEGA 3-FATTY ACIDS

Flax Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Walnuts, Purslane, Vegan DHA Suppliments, Chia Seeds, Cauliflower, Tahini, Brussel Sprouts

VITAMIN D

Sunshine, Rice Milk, Mushrooms, Fortified Orange Juice & Cereal, Vegan D3 Supplements

The best part of a vegan diet is that almost all of the other nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the body requires, it receives in super high doses with a vegan diet!!! 

Enjoy fresh fruits, a range of colourful vegetables, whole grains, protein, 

Zain’s Top 20 Reasons To Drink More Water

Still not drinking enough water?  Here’s what you’re missing…

1. Water Creates New Blood Cells

2. Water Creates New Bone Cells 

3. Water Cleanses Your Lymphatic System

4. Water Reduces Inflammation

5. Water Lubricates and Protects Your Joints

6. Water Regulates Your Metabolism and Aids In Weight Loss

7. Water Improves Cellular Function and Communication

8. Water Alleviates Dehydration And Cellular Dehydration

9. Water Improves Brain And Nerve Function

10. Most Beverages Are Diuretic In Nature So It’s Important to Drink Water To Balance 

11. Water Neutralizes The Body’s PH Levels

12. Water Increases Your Energy

13. Water Aids In Digestion, The Secretion Of Digestive Fluids And Regulates Bowls

14. Water Promotes Circulation And Blood Flow To Organs

15. Water Regulates Body Temperature And The Body’s Natural Cooling System

16. Water Eliminates Toxins From The Body

17. Water Strengthens The Body And Immunity Leaving You Less Prone To Disease

18. Water Nourishes And Detoxifies The Skin

19. Water Helps To Control Cravings And Keeps You Fuller Longer

20. Water Feeds Muscle Tissue Helping It To Repair And Strengthen.

*I hope that gives you enough reasons to grab your water bottle and keep it filled!

**If you have trouble remembering to drink water, set an alarm on your phone or get a water accountability partner to keep you motivated!!

Waiting for the ‘Perfect Moment’ To Start Your Healthy Life?

NEWSFLASH: YOU’LL BE WAITING FOREVER

Getting healthy is not about a milestone, a new week, new day or new year, it’s about making teeny, weeny changes each and everyday on plain old boring Tuesday mornings…like waking up and making the CHOICE to have breakfast.

Overtime, by repeating that choice day in and day out, it forms a NEW NEUROPATHWAY in your brain (a brand spanking new brain impulse) that becomes a pattern, then a habit and thus, healthy habits are formed.

Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today.  Start transforming your life NOW.

Starting to feel the power of your own potential?

Awesome. Don’t run away from it.  That feeling. Yep, you got it…that warm, tingly sensation in your core, the one that speaks to you loud and clear and tells you…you CAN do this, you can achieve EVERYTHING you want to.

Tune in and ask yourself:

1. What is it I truly want?

2. Why do I want this? 

3. What would it feel like to have it/accomplish it? 

Now, stop and feel that feeling.  Keep doing that throughout the day, just tap into the feeling of what it would be like if you had already achieved your goal.

4. What do I need to do to get there?

Make a list. Follow the list.  Reach out if you need help.  You have so many resources at your disposal, more than you know and they are yours to access at any point in time.  Don’t think you are alone in this.

If you need a hand with direction, support with your goal or a coach to guide you around getting healthy, what to eat, how to train etc. reach out to someone who you resonate with, who knows perhaps its just the support that you need to kickstart your journey!  

Creating Abundance In Your Life

What if I were to tell you that right now, in this moment, that all of your dreams could come true? That you would be showered with love, health, joy, success, money, resources, the physique you desire, limitless energy and confidence.  Would you believe me?  Would you call me crazy?

Living in abundance is something that you must re-train your mind to do because for most of us, this way of thinking does not come naturally.  We tend to hyperfocus on what we are lacking rather than what we have.  

Lack causes us to act out of fear and desperation rather than from a place of love and trust.  

So how do we retrain our minds to create more abundance in our lives?

Here are some of my favourite ways:

1.  Identify the things and people in your life that you feel grateful for, make gratitude a regular practice in your life - Feel the abundance of these gifts in your life and know that the energy behind them is everlasting, rather than fleeting. 

2. Change your outlook on the world - Perspective makes a big difference. If we focus on the challenges and difficulties in our lives and in the world, we cannot be open to the opportunities that present themselves. 

3. Keep yourself affixed to the flow of allowing things to naturally occur rather than forcing them - Let go of the control that you feel you possess over people and over life.

4. Remind yourself that the more abundance you feel and share with the world, the more abundance you will attract to yourself - Be generous.

5. Incorporate affirmations into your life:

I attract prosperity and abundance into my life and it is my natural right

New week, fresh start, let’s start by being grateful for what we have so that we can attract more of the good stuff <3