Take Care

I recently stumbled upon a workshop that looks pretty interesting, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to share.

Mass General Hospital offers a program called "Taking Care of Ourselves - A Wellness Program for Women." This is a four week program that offers women the tools to cope with daily stress and take the time to care for themselves.

If you've been feeling stressed lately or perhaps you're having a hard time coping with something that has recently happened in your life, this might be a good course to look into. The sessions are one hour long and are offered at lunch time during the week, which may not be convenient for all, in which case, maybe these few reminders will help a little:

1. Take a deep breath and stay calm. No matter how hectic things may seem, there is always time to inhale and exhale.

2. Schedule in time for yourself. If you feel like you're living religiously by the book - your PLANNER, that is - literally schedule some "me-time" in. That way, you're not cheating your schedule!

3. Learn how to say "no." No matter how fun those extra social plans may seem, it's sometimes best to let your friends know that you'll miss them, but you have plans that day. (Those plans being turning off your phone, parking yourself on the couch and indulging in a stupid romantic comedy.)

Be well, stay stress-free, and enjoy the day.

Guiltless Recommends: Proud2Bme

I think we can all attest that the teen years were both fantastic and horrible at the same time. You're learning so much about yourself and the world, sometimes it's hard to stay positive, and have a strong self-esteem in the neverending battle of popularity and who will be homecoming king and queen. That's why i was so excited to see this new website:

National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) recently launched Proud2Bme, an online community created for teens by teens, the inspires positive body image, health and happiness. It covers everything from fashion and beauty to news, culture, and entertainment—all with the goal of promoting positive body image and encouraging healthy attitudes about food and weight.You can be inspired by teens that traveled to Capitol Hill to push for eating disorder insurance coverage legislation , read other thank you letters to our bodies. If you are worried that a friend might have an eating disorder this article tells the best way to approach that friend. Because you don't need to be a size zero to be a hero...



So spread the word! If you're a teacher, tell your students. If you have a little brother or sister, tell them. If you are a teenager share this with your friends! You can also follow Proud2Bme on Twitter and like them on Facebook.(Oh and Happy Halloween!)

What makes you happy?

Happy Friday! Have a safe and fun Halloween weekend.

Radiant as the Sun

“I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun”. -Katniss Everdeen

You are the instinct in your gut, the strength in your body, the kindness in your heart.

You're not a number on the scale. And the harsh critic inside your head isn't real - it's only a bad habit- a habit you can break with practice and awareness.

The past and the future don't actually exist - there is only now.

Guiltless is not about living without regret. It's acknowledging that things happen in life that make you feel regretful, but instead of beating yourself up over it, keep moving forward and learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are a beautiful mess that are designed to teach you, not abuse you.

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You already are the person you want to be, and you have the tools you need to get through the obstacles in your life right now.

You are not pretty or beautiful. You are as radiant as the sun, and that kind of brilliance can only come from within.

I love my curves

I love my curves. That I do. And I think I need to share that today.

Because first I saw this:
Katie Halchishick – co-founder of Healthy is the New Skinny in Oprah Magazine. Cosmetic surgery dotted lines cover Katie, indicating what would have to be cut away in order for her to have Barbie’s body.

And then I saw this PostSecret
And I have to saw I'm much more in support of the latter.

So here's for the curves. For stomachs that aren't always flat. For legs that have occasional cellulite bumps. For un-tucked, un-lipo-ed, un-smoothed, un-altered bodies. Bodies that we work to keep healthy and strong, but that are still beautifully imperfect.

Today I love my curves. What do you love?

A Life Long Romance

Happy Love Your Body Day!

This post is part of the 2011 Love Your Body Day Blog Carnival.

Today, the NOW Foundation will host a Love Your Body Day blog carnival, featuring strong voices voices from all over who want to share some thoughts on loving your body.

In celebration of this awesome day, I'd like to talk about what loving your body means to me. I don't think loving your body is a static thing. What I mean is, your perception of yourself is constantly evolving and developing, and loving your body is part of that. For a long time, I was dangerously self-critical. I had to really focus on the parts of myself that I was proud of, and sometimes that's a lot easier said than done. But I knew in my heart that it had to happen, because who wants to go through life criticizing themselves all the time?

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The way I came to appreciate my body was treating myself like a friend. I forced myself to look at myself like I would my best friend - seeing all her qualities as unique and beautiful. I started to forgive myself as I would a best friend - acknowledging something that hurt me, but letting it go and moving forward. And I talked to myself the way I would my best friend - I stopped the negative thoughts as soon as I felt them creeping in and I started to point out the things I did well.

This works. It takes effort. But it works.

Just the other day, I was hanging out with a group of women- all totally gorgeous by the way- who were pointing out parts of their bodies they hated. When my turn to criticize myself came up, it was hard not to chime in. I caught myself vocally hating part of my body, and then I remembered - be your own best friend.

And so, hoping to change the tide, I said that I want to be fit, but I refuse to agonize over it and I will not give up the things that make me happy- The love of cooking and celebrating around a table of food, wine, and friends...the comfort of eating ice cream in bed while watching a scary movie...ordering pizza with my nieces and nephews...baking Christmas cookies and tasting the batter...All of these things do not need to be banned from life. Instead, I make sure I treat my body well by eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of exercise, drinking water, going for walks, etc. If I respect my body the way it deserves to be respected, I will not need to give up the things in life that make me smile...and I can love my body while I'm at it....now that's having your cake, and eating it too!

I hope this post inspired you to continue down the path toward self-appreciation! Be well, and enjoy the day.