Fresh MOTIVATION to Eat Clean & Conscious

I'll admit, I've become skeptical of the "healthy food" documentaries that are out there. I'd think, "Yeah, yeah, I know what a CAFO is, I don't need to see more animal cruelty or hear more about High Fructose Corn Syrup in everything, I get it." I didn't want to watch something that would bring me down and make me feel bad about the world and everything I eat. Quite the contrary.

My friend suggested we watch Food Inc. last week and I figured, well ok, I'm into this healthy lifestyle business, I should at least know what I'm talking about when people ask me about it.

Well, I got seriously REVVED UP and I learned way more than I thought I would! Yep, took me right off my high horse and just about put me on a soap box. (But no one likes that, including me. ;) For real, though, when was the last time you felt really political, deeply morally invested and passionate, about your food choices, not just, "Well, I know it's better for me to eat this way..."?

Our modern food system has some major problems and knowledge is major power. Why? Because where you spend your money is your VOTE. I'd argue it's the most powerful vote you've got. So will the owner of Walmart -  And you can vote multiple times a day - you already do! But are you doing it consciously? Do you know where your money is going? Are you investing consciously to support the people and companies who you agree and align with, or are you holding your nose and covering your eyes, like I did about watching the movie in the first place?

I know it's easier to stay comfortable and look the other way, but if you're like me, you're not into making your choices that way. I know change is challenging and makes waves, sometimes in our most intimate relationships. And I also know if you're reading this that you are here to change the world for the better in whatever way you can. This is the age of personal power and politics. Money talks. I invite you to claim your voice.

Want to be inspired? Want to inspire your kids and family to think about their food choices, not just from a health perspective, but from a moral, ethical, environmental world view? Here is a list of documentaries to check out... many available to stream on Netflix or watch online.

Food Inc.

Forks Over Knives

King Corn

Super Size Me

Hungry For Change

Here is a great "Top 10" resource for food documentaries! What are your favorites? Did I miss any?

How Do I Do It? Highly Sensitive, Healthy & Naturally Energized ... I Invite You to Join!

Holy cow, there's a lot of juicy excitement going on in my world right now that I want to make sure you don't miss!

Number 1: My 28-Day Highly Sensitive & Healthy Video Challenge
Today is Day #4 of my personal challenge to myself to share with you my day-to-day ups, downs, and tips about how I keep myself sane, energized and grounded. Subscribe on YouTube so you don't miss a day or Friend me on Facebook if you haven't already to keep in the loop!

Number 2: Ignite Your Full Natural Energy Potential
If you want more natural energy so you can fully show up for your one big, beautiful life - don't miss this opportunity! We'll be doing a whole life detox and clearing of the stuff that drains you on a regular basis, and guiding you to create your own flexible, breathable Personal Energy Plan so that you know exactly what to eat, how to exercise, and how to feed your soul so that you WANT to jump out of bed every morning. For realsie. Check out our 5-step system to igniting your full energy potential and join us here!

Number 3: WOW Talks
"Women of Wellness" TED Talks style, but interactive and experiential! This is a place for open-minded, ambitious women and personal growth junkies like myself to mingle, support each other, and grow. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, don't miss the SF WOW Talks Chapter's launch with our speaker Marta Maria, founder of the Goddess Collective, who is going to lead us in an evening exploration of relationship (intimate, social, business) dynamics. It's this coming Wed. Jan. 22nd, 6:30-8:30pm. and we only have a few intimate spots left (register online to get $10 off your ticket)!

Life is Richer When You FEEL It (Without Getting Overwhelmed!)

Do you FEEL a lot? Are you overly sensitive, or ever get so carried away by your emotions that you feel crazy? I know I've spent days wallowing deep in tears, wondering what was wrong with me that I couldn't even seem to function like a normal person.

Hardly any of us have been taught how to understand and process our emotions – which are essentially just biological responses to stuff going on in our brains and environments. Literal energy pulses through our bodies. This is especially a problem to those of us who feel a lot in general. How do we deal? It's overwhelming!

When we don't learn to process or express our emotions in a healthy way... we do it in an unhealthy way. We stuff them down with food. We numb and soothe ourselves with alcohol, marijuana, shopping, drama in our relationships, Facebook. We distract ourselves so that we don't have to feel so much... but energy cannot be destroyed, only transferred. The emotions don't just go away when we ignore them. They manifest in our bodies as GI troubles, headaches, acne, eczema, teeth grinding, extra stubborn weight, high blood pressure, acid reflux, inflammation, tumors. I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just being real with you.

If we can't bury emotions or stop feeling them... How do we deal in a way that doesn't overwhelm us? I've been working with a coach, Joie Seldon, for the past couple months to help me develop more emotional intelligence – in other words, to understand how to process my emotions as information. She says “Life is fuller when you feel it.” We have to be willing to allow ourselves to feel them.

Being highly sensitive is actually a gift – we have way more information about ourselves and the world around us. We just need to know how to let that enrich and inform our lives, not drain our energy and wreak havoc in our bodies. We get to experience the full spectrum of living in more colors. And isn't that beautiful?

Joy is fully embracing all emotions and experience. Here are 3 ways I've learned how to have a more grounded, joyful relationship with my emotions:

1. Find safe space and CRY. Who do you trust to talk to, cry with? I cry multiple times a week. I have friends who cry almost every day. And we're some high-functioning, ambitious AND highly sensitive entrepreneurs. Crying helps us release and move energy. At first, there might be a lot to come out, but then it COMES OUT instead of festering in your body. Letting my partner see me cry, even when I'm embarrassed about it or don't know where it's coming from, allows me to feel more safe, supported and open to be me. Men especially love to be fixers, it's a beautiful part of their helpful nature, but please tell people what you want and need from them during your cry and what you don't. You'll both be glad you did.
2. Write. Brain dump. Putting a pen to paper is a deceptively effective way to process everything that is going on in your busy mind. What thoughts are causing your emotions? Are they based in 100% reality or are they just rising fear, anger, shame, guilt? All of our emotions are just messages about what isn't (or is) working for us. There is no such thing as a negative emotion – that is just a judgment! They all are here to tell us something, to protect us, to keep us alert, to tell us to let go. Be your own coach. Ask yourself what your emotion is trying to reveal to you. What is it's positive intention for you? What can you do to feel better, right now? Then stop writing and DO that.
3. Get out of your head and into your body. Emotions are “energy in motion.” Moving energy moves emotions. For me this means getting into my body or into nature. Hiking, walking, running, laying in the grass at the park, yoga, meditation, taking a bath, stretching, dancing, hula hooping, smelling flowers... It doesn't have to be something energy-expending or time consuming. But don't stay alone in your room if you want to experience an energetic-emotional shift. I know I tend to want to isolate myself. It feels safe. DO take your time. And then find someone to call or just get out around the block.

When I thought about expressing or processing my emotions, I used to be afraid that I'd take the lid off Pandora's box and be washed away in a whirlpool of deep, dark emotion. I'm here to tell you it didn't happen. Did I cry more often at first, yes. But you know how good it feels to have a good cry.

As a coach, I hold space for my clients go there when they need to, or to find outlets and ways to process that feel safe. Burying and holding onto heavy, tense emotions is taxing. It takes a lot of energy to go around carrying a bag of bricks, yes? If you'd like to clear out the heavy, draining energy in your life, please give yourself the gift of Igniting Your Energy in 2014.

We are getting started soon - please join us if you know it's your year to feel lighter (in every sense of the word). If you feel like you'd rather have one-to-one support, contact me for a free consultation. Sending love to all you feel!

The 2 Most Depleting HABITS

I played hooky today from my conference! AND I feel fabulous about it. I'm taking care of myself, so I can be ready for our free call tomorrow!

Click image to sign up for the free call! (& if you can't make it, sign up to get the recording)

Are you signed up?? (It's not too late to get the goods, sign up on the same page to get a free mp3 download of the call!) >>>

I want to make sure you didn't miss out on this opportunity!  I've met very few people who say they don't want more energy. The problem is, we often sabotage our energy without even knowing it! It's not just about food and sleep.

The good news is that it doesn't take a lot of energy to get more energy - it just takes awareness and a willingness to play with some new choices, noticing what feels depleting versus invigorating.

"Awareness creates Choice creates Freedom."

Here are the 2 most depleting habits (that you might not have even considered) and what to do about them. This is a taste of where we're going in this free teleclass.

Are you sabotaging your energy with either of these two habits? Hop on over and get the free mp3 download of this teleclass to get crystal clear about what's personally blocking the most energy for you AND what to do about it. Empower yourself yo!

The Biggest FOOD Energy Drain

So what do you think? Carbs can be a touchy subject. I'm Italian, trust me, I know...

Get the free mp3 download of my and Sarah's teleclass "End the Drain & Fatigue Cycle: 5 steps to ignite your full energy potential." Simply sign up to get access to listen to and download the call!

In this teleclass you will:

• Discover why you REALLY feel drained and tired all the time & what to do about it
• Identify your personal biggest physical & mental blocks
• Find new ways to clear space, bring in more energy, & release your excess weight (physical & emotional)

You can sign up HERE ... and see Sarah and I star in a fun video!

Avoid Post-Holiday Crash & Burn

I passed out on the airplane home! Just fell right down in the aisle. I've flown a lot and never seen anyone use an oxygen masks before. But now I know them intimately.

I breathed oxygen out of a mask and sat with an oxygen tank on my lap for a few hours. I even cried into it (I was freaked out, to say the least, and super embarrassed)! Oh, and then I got motion sick and threw up on the descent. I was a complete mess, and, somehow it was all ok.

Here I am now, wiser...

When I finally got home and slept the whole episode off, the next morning I woke up and said, "Hello, dear body, what was up with THAT?" It must have been a perfect storm of eating too decadently, getting on the sugar roller coaster, being sleep deprived from travel, then not eating enough or drinking enough water (I know, me?). You know, the holidays.

Now I know this is ironic, given that I coach women about taking exceptional care of their health and energy... But I suppose I needed a reminder that we are ALL always students of life. This is exactly why taking care of MYself and my energy is so important, first and foremost.

And I know for sure that I'm not the only one feeling a little low and drained after the holidays. Let's face it, we all overindulged a little bit. You didn't get your holiday eating and exercising perfect this year either? You're feeling extra heavy - in body and mind? It's totally normal, it's totally ok, ME TOO.

It's taken me a few days to recoup... but here I am, wiser, and starting to think in forward motion again. It's Resolution time, right? The WORST thing to do when you're feeling low about yourself is to get sucked into the resolution hype. There is no rush. I repeat: There is no. rush. I'll share more on my approach to resolutions very soon

*I've got something special planned for you that I shared in the video that will help us both get our energy back up for the new year... Stay tuned.*

In the meantime, drink to this brain, body and mouth wake up!

Sweet Tart Green Smoothie
1/2 cup water
1 lemon
1 apple
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
two handfuls spinach
2 kale leaves, destemmed
1/3 bunch cilantro, washed
handful blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Add ingredients to blender in the order listed. I recommend using the whole lemon. Slice off ends to reveal fruit. Place cut end down and, following the contour of the fruit, slice off the peel and white pith. For the ginger, peel with the nose of a spoon (really)! Blend until smooth then drink in your favorite fancy glass or rustic mason jar.