About the Author: Michelle Peterson contacted me to post an article for National Recovery Month and, of course, it is a worthy celebration to honor. 
She declined to post her own photo and wanted to say very little about herself. Below is her only comment: 
"Michelle Peterson believes the journey to sobriety should not be one of shame but of pride. Her mission is aligned with that of RecoveryPride, which is to celebrate sobriety and those who achieve it."
In reading her article you will see she is passionate about her cause. 

​Photo via Pixabay by BDCBethebest

  Substance abuse causes many changes in relationships, and it can be difficult to repair things with a loved one after so much has happened. It may seem insurmountable, that you’ve both been through a terrible time and there’s no coming back from it. And while you may find yourself to be changed after heading down a sober path, it’s hard to convince the people who knew you before that things will be different.
Drugs and alcohol can lead us down dark paths, into infidelity, lies, manipulation, and even crime. It can put a heavy burden on family members and other loved ones who only want to help, and even when recovery begins, those loved ones may still suffer because there are so many hurtful moments from the past that they can’t get over. With a romantic relationship, there may be a lot to unpack, but it’s important to take responsibility for your own actions and face up to the consequences rather than laying blame somewhere else. This is the first step to reconciling, especially if there was infidelity involved; according to Swiftriver.com, infidelity is traumatizing. It causes the wronged party to question you, your relationship, and themselves.

  Fortunately, there are some other ways you can rebuild your relationship and try to make it stronger than before. It begins with trust, which will take time.

Keep your expectations realistic

  You may be tempted to try and start over right away, just weeks or even days into a recovery program. It’s imperative that you understand how much time it takes to rebuild trust and to resolve past issues, which must be done. You can’t gloss over everything that happened and expect everything to be okay; allow your loved one to talk about their feelings and to vent about the situation. Try to be patient and understanding, and look at things from their point of view if possible.

Seek counseling
​
  If you’re already in a recovery program and are seeing a therapist or counselor for that, you may be wary of seeking help from someone for your relationship. However, attending therapy together can help you and your partner learn better ways to communicate, which is key when you’re rebuilding things.
 
Make some changes
 
  Don’t expect your partner to be the one who does all the hard work; you’ll need to make some changes if you want to see things move in the right direction with your loved one. This might mean getting healthier--eating a well-balanced diet, exercising daily, making better choices altogether--or it might mean removing certain people from your life. It can be hard to walk toward a new chapter and leave some things behind, but if you’re ready to put the work into your relationship, it’s important to have a fresh start with no temptations.
 
Make your connection stronger
 
  Once you’ve started the rebuilding process, it’s important to make your connection stronger than ever. Communication is one part of that, but it also means spending quality time together, learning how to be the best “other half” you can be, and supporting your partner’s goals while they support yours. You can find some great insight into how to go about doing just that in this helpful article.
 
  Keeping your expectations reasonable is half the battle. You may think you’re fully prepared to make a lot of positive changes in your life after recovery begins, but you need to be patient with yourself and give your body and mind time to heal and process what you’ve been through. Then, you can begin to pick up the pieces and make them whole again.  ​

 Sitting Can Make You Sick. Did you know the average adult sits 8-10 hours every day? If you consider the amount of time spent sitting at an average job, in the car, at the dinner table, and perhaps watching TV, it adds up quickly. But there’s a problem. Sitting for long hours may be hazardous to your health!
​
 If your day requires sitting for long periods of time, try to get up and move around for 5 minutes every hour. See if you can occasionally work while standing up and moving around your area. Even if you cannot change the amount of time you spend sitting, proper posture and some ergonomic adjustments to the areas where you sit can reduce your risk of serious health problems. Plus, you will be much more comfortable.

Ergonomics 101
 Today we will look at ergonomics for the lower body. Ergonomics is a scientific word for arranging your area to help you have the best comfort and posture for your health. Making ergonomic changes to the way your lower body is positioned while you sit can prevent back problems, leg pain and fatigue.Be sure to check back for our next article about ergonomics for the upper body.

Position of your Back
 Problem: Constant leaning, reaching, and poor posture while sitting can alter the natural curves of your spine and cause damage to your discs and nerves.

 Try This: Find a good chair with lower back support, or add a back-rest cushion to the chair. Try to keep all important equipment and documents within arm’s reach.

Position of your Legs
 Problem: When your legs don’t reach the floor properly, it can put stress on your lower back and the nerves that go down your legs.

 Try This: When sitting, your thighs should be parallel to the floor and your legs should be slightly bent with both feet squarely on the floor. When using an adjustable chair, first stand next to it and change the height of the sitting surface so it’s just below your kneecaps. If your feet do not reach the ground and your chair does not adjust, try putting a low stool under your feet. Avoid crossing your legs. When driving, remember to position your seat so your legs are slightly bent when your foot is on the pedals.
​
 Chiropractic Coaching and Care for Sitting Stress. Our team at Amazing Life Chiropractic is specially trained to aid in prevention of spinal, muscular or neurological problems related to extended sitting. We can also coach you through stretches and ergonomic adjustments you can use at home or at work to improve health and reduce the stress caused by sitting all day. We look forward to helping you have happier sitting and a healthier life! 
​

  Hypnosis is a heighten state of suggestibility and therapy modality, as well as, a self-help technique and a stage entertainment.  It has been around for a long time and there are many methods of use for hypnosis. It is actually a very natural state that we have all experienced. It can be used in a therapeutic setting to help us in dealing in many ways. Over the years, the portrayal of hypnosis in stage shows and in movies and television or books has led to many myths and misconceptions about hypnosis. It has a mysterious reputation in many regards that is not deserved.
 
  I would like to clear up some of those myths and provide a better idea of what hypnosis is and what it is not. As a double certified Master Hypnotherapist, hypnosis is one of the most valuable tools I use in helping clients to move forward and make the changes they want to achieve their dreams and goals or find a sense of peace in their lives.
 
Myths:
 
#1 – Only those who are weak-willed or gullible can be hypnotized.
 
False:  Anyone with an IQ over 70, a willingness to be hypnotized and the ability to focus and follow simple instructions can be hypnotized. Recent studied have confirmed that different people may need different methods to induce hypnosis, but if they are willing they can be hypnotized.
 
#2 – Hypnosis is mind control and may cause you to loss conscious or have amnesia.
 
False:  In hypnosis, the client is never under the control of the hypnotist.  They remain totally conscious and generally have a heightened sense of focus and awareness. The hypnotist is simply a facilitator guiding the client through the process.  It is extremely difficult to get someone to do something under hypnosis that they do not want to do. That being said, stage hypnotists do get people to do some strange things. The explanation for this, is that those who volunteer are generally inclined to be more extroverted and in a state of exhilaration caused by the show and stage excitement. They are inclined to go along with silly suggestions, much like those who behave out of character when intoxicated of in a party atmosphere.
 
#3 – Hypnosis is like a truth serum and you cannot lie while hypnotized.
 
False: This is blatantly false. People can and do lie as easily when hypnotized, as not and cannot be made to confess or tell the truth, if they are otherwise inclined.
 
#4 – Hypnosis is dangerous and you might get stuck in hypnosis.
 
False: Once again, blatantly false! Hypnosis is a natural state that we have all experienced and go in and out of every day.  Just before falling sleep, upon waking and while watching TV, movies, sometimes while driving on the highway or reading a book are common times when people enter an “environmental hypnosis”. It is not possible to get stuck in hypnosis even if the hypnotist does not count you out, you will emerge from hypnosis as soon as your body and mind enter a new state and can be done by yawning, stretching or move to a new position.
 
#5 – Hypnosis is a “Miracle Cure” that works for everyone and everything.
 
False: While hypnosis is very effective there is nothing that works for everything and everyone and it cannot be guaranteed to work. It is highly dependent on the motivation of the client whether it will be effective.
 
#6 – Hypnosis is Sleep!
 
False: Even though the Hypnotist may say “Sleep!” while inducing hypnosis, the client is not asleep! They may have their eyes closed, but they are aware of their surroundings, have a heightened sense of focus and will generally remember everything that is happening.
 
#7 – Hypnosis is witchcraft or against religion.
 
False: Hypnosis has no links to witchcraft or black magic and is not mentioned in the Bible or has no connection to any religion. It is a natural state and will with heightened focus and awareness and will not make any inclined or susceptible to any evil or negative influences that they would not otherwise, be inclined toward.
 
#8 – Hypnotists are flamboyant or weird!
 
False: While this may be true for some individuals or stage hypnotists, it is definitely not a characteristic or requirement for the field.
 
#9 – Hypnosis will retrieve lost memories
 
Maybe: While it is possible to retrieve some lost memories through hypnosis, memories are fragile and “not always even true”. There is no guarantee that memories will be retrieved or that what you recall is exactly how things happened. It is always a recalled perception.  Hypnosis is, however, effective in many cases at helping to retrieve desired memories.
 
#10 – Self-Hypnosis is the same as hypnosis by a professional Hypnotist.
 
False: While self-hypnosis is a useless state and can be of value, it is not the same and can take you to the same level of hypnosis and professional guided hypnosis.
 
  These are some of the top myths about hypnosis. I hope I have cleared up some misconceptions and you have a better idea of what hypnosis is and feel more comfortable with it. It can be a valuable tool in helping people get past trauma and make desired life changes or build positive habits. It is one of the modalities I use in my Life Coaching and is amazingly fast and effective. Are there any other beliefs you might have about Hypnosis that you are not sure about? I will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have or set up a “Discovery Session” to see if hypnosis would be useful for you.
Email: kate.nlcoach@gmail.com  .  Ask a question via the comment form on the blog or call: 206-566-1615.  

 Lela  has set up 6 private Facebook groups that you can ask to join for free.

They are:
1. Learn How To Quit Smoking
 No relapsing

• No cold turkey
• No weight gain
• No drugs or pills
• No painful side effects
• No nicotine replacement

  
2. How To Quit Smoking During
    Menopause Without Side Effects
 
Learn how to quit smoking without side effects
 
 Get help with symptoms of menopause and reduce the side effects of quitting smoking
 
3.   I have Quit Smoking!
And Help With Dealing With The Side Effects Of Quitting Smoking During Menopause
 
  Help with the symptoms of menopause & side effects of quitting smoking
 
4. Dealing With The Side Effects Of Quitting Smoking
 
5. I Quit Smoking But I am Still Using:
Chantix/Champix
Wellbutrin/Zyban
Vaping/e-cigarette
 
Nicotine
  Patch
  Gum
  Lozenge
 
6. Learn How To Quit Smoking When You Are Pregnant
 No relapsing

• No cold turkey
• No weight gain
• No drugs or pills
• No painful side effects

​  “Increasing your joy quotient” is a matter of accumulating enough happy and joyful moments in your life to give you the resilience to carry you through the times that are sad, difficult and challenging. There are ways of being happier and more joyful more of the time and there are also ways to build your resilience. Both of these will lead to a generally more peaceful, assured quality of life that is more joy filled and happy. It is much simpler than we sometimes think to be and stay happy.  The list below will keep a smile on your face and in your heart!
​

• Spend time outside on a daily basis
• Exercise and get the endorphins flowing
• Get plenty of sleep
• Eat regular and healthy foods to get the nutrients your body needs
• Smile when you see yourself in the mirror
• Speak kindly of yourself, as well as, others
• Be grateful for what you have
• Help others whenever you can
• Set Goals
• Follow through with intentions and obligations
• Connect with friends
• Listen to music
• Spend quiet time alone
• Indulge in daily self-care and nurturing
• Be compassion and forgive
• Play and keep your child-like imagination active
• Be creative
• Express your feelings
• Speak out and stand up for yourself and your beliefs
• Look for the humor
• Laugh often and out loud
• See the good in others and yourself
• Celebrate your achievements big and small
• Appreciate the small and simple things
• Reach for help when needed
• Follow your intuition
• Don’t wait; follow your dreams now
• Look for solutions; not obstacles
• Believe in your abilities and capability
• Visualize the live you want
• Get a hug or give one

  If you do all of these things you will have an amazing life; if you do most of them you will be very happy and if you just do some of them some of the time, you will likely be happier than most people, most of the time. We will all, always continue to experience times that are sad, hurtful, challenging and just plain feel bad. It helps if we experience an abundance of happy times and the resultant happy feelings to carry us through those times. That ability to buoy ourselves up through the storm of difficult times is referred to as resilience and there are ways we can develop this characteristic, as well.  Below are a few ways to be more resilient.
​

1. Develop your skills and abilities
2. Practice problem solving
3. Set goals and write them down
4. Practice
5. Nurture yourself
6. Believe in yourself and be your biggest fan
7. Be positive and optimistic
8. Embrace change and go with the flow
9. Develop strong social connections
10. Have a strong sense of purpose
11. Be at peace with yourself
12. Take Action  

 
If you learn to do the things listed above your resilience will grow and you will find that your ability to get through the tough times and bounce back more quickly from adversity will increase significantly. You will still feel things deeply and completely, but they will not defeat you and you will always see the light at the end of the tunnel and it will not seem so far away. 

About the Author:  Edie Weinstein, MSW, LSW is a colorfully creative journalist, inspiring transformational speaker, licensed social worker, interfaith minister, editor, radio host, BLISS coach, event producer, Cosmic Concierge, the author of The Bliss Mistress Guide To Transforming The Ordinary Into The Extraordinary and co-author of Embraced By the Divine: The Emerging Woman’s Gateway to Power, Passion and Purpose. She has also contributed to several anthologies and personal growth books. Edie has interviewed such notables as Ram Dass, Wayne Dyer, Debbie Ford, don Miguel Ruiz, don Miguel Ruiz, Jr. Marianne Williamson, Grover Washington, Jr. Noah Levine, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Weaver, Ben and Jerry and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  She calls herself an Opti-mystic who sees the world through the eyes of possibility. Edie writes for The Huffington Post, Psych Central, Beliefnet, Elephant Journal, The Good Men Project, Expanded Family, Meaningful Mom, Bucks Happening, Montco Happening, Hunterdon Happening, as well as a growing number of other venues. Edie is the founder of Hug Mobsters Armed With Love, which offers FREE HUGS events on a planned and spontaneous basis. www.opti-mystical.com

​    Thursday June 12, 2014 was a day like no other in my 55 years on the planet. I had donned shorts, t-shirt and sneakers and headed to Planet Fitness (a.k.a. The Judgement Free Zone) where I had gone five or six days a week for my workouts, which I referred to as ‘playouts,’ to make them seem more fun. I completed my one hour round of cardio and weights, jumped into my Jeep and drove home to shower and prepare to see several clients in an outpatient drug and alcohol rehab where I had worked as a therapist for two years. On familiar roads, something unfamiliar and unexpected occurred.
  Imagine someone grabbing your jaw and gripping tightly so that you couldn’t move it. Then sense torrential sweats, long after having cooled down post workout. Beat skipping heart palpitations, lightheadedness, nausea and searing heartburn pain followed. I knew immediately that I was having a heart attack. Call it oxygen deprivation, but I didn’t go straight to the hospital. I drove home, called to cancel with my clients and then had the thought that I was sweaty and needed to take a shower. Common sense kicked in…but only to a point. I said to myself, “What are you doing, woman? Get yourself to the hospital.” I didn’t call 911 as I should have. Instead, I got back in the car and drove myself to my local hospital which was about 10 minutes away. I stumbled into the emergency room and informed the woman behind the desk that I was having a heart attack. Within moments I was whisked to the cardiac cath lab where a stent was inserted via my wrist which was a blessing, since the other option was that it be threaded through the groin. A humorous moment preceded the surgery as the nurse who prepped me for it, told me, “You’re going to hate me, but I’m only going to shave you on one side (in case I did need to have the less pleasant procedure).”  I asked her, “Can’t you do a landing strip?” She volleyed back, “You’re on your own for that when you get home.” That told me that I would indeed survive.
  An hour later, I was greeted by the cardiologist who showed me what my fully occluded artery looked like (a broken tree branch) and how it appeared once the stent was present (as if the branch had popped back up).  He cautioned me about my condition that had multiple causal factors. Family history (my mom died of Congestive Heart Failure), elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, as well the highly stressful lifestyle I admitted living. I had been working 12-14 hour days and sleeping perhaps 5 or 6 hours per night for likely two years. Both parents had died within a 2 ½ year period and I had suppressed my emotions since I had been the social worker who interacted with hospice, the minister who officiated at their funerals and my mother’s Power of Attorney and executor of her estate. The grieving daughter had no opportunity to mourn.
This experience had been preceded at the end of 2013 by shingles that showed up on the anniversary of my mother’s death, which was the day after Thanksgiving of 2010. No surprise that my body was telling me something that I ignored. Turns out I was not alone. Many women ignore the symptoms as I did. I erroneously believed that menopause was the cause of my sleeplessness, dizziness and arrhythmia.
  As I lay in the hospital bed, I was bombarded by thoughts of, “What if I don’t bounce back? What if I am incapacitated? What if I have to rely on other people?  Holy sh*t, I’m only 55.” Well -meaning family and friends told me that I had to take a few weeks off from work to recuperate. I went into panic mode, thinking that I couldn’t afford to miss work. My boss informed me that he would not allow me through the door and that my co-workers would hold down the fort and take care of my clients.
  I found myself lying on the couch as I watched the ceiling fan spin from the peak of the living room ceiling. I wrote copious articles for various sites and publications as a cautionary ‘don’t let this happen to you,’ message. I had promised one of the nurses who had come in to care for me in the wee hours of the morning that once stabilized, I needed to go out and teach women about cardiac care. I have since kept my word and have spoken to several groups about this condition.

   ​According to The Heart Foundation

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.
• Approximately 1 in 31 deaths of women is attributable to breast cancer, whereas 1 in 7.5 female deaths is attributable to coronary heart disease.
• Every minute, approximately one woman dies from heart disease. 
• Only 1 in 5 American women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
• An estimated 6.6 million women alive today in the U.S. have coronary heart disease.
• 90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease or stroke.
• Since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease.
• The symptoms of heart disease can be different in women and men and are often misunderstood.

   I came to discover that the first part of recovery was physical, as I changed my diet, lowered stress levels, started a new job for which I could work from home, took naps and attended cardiac rehab. The second and on-going aspect involved deep inner work. I have needed to acknowledge that although I didn’t have open heart surgery and am not a member of the ‘zipper club,” I had still experienced a trauma. I have always thought of myself as a resilient thriver who could overcome any obstacle. Feeling weak and helpless is a condition I did not want to have.
   One step I have taken is to return to my athletic roots. I was a swimmer in my youth and into my early adulthood. Even though that has not been my chosen form of exercise of late, I do things that get my heart pumping such as 3-4 time a week gym workouts, walking on alternate days, dancing, riding my bike. I am training for a 5k in September called The Bubble Run. I have also joined a Facebook group called Ironheart Connect which was designed with athletes who have cardiac conditions in mind. The support has been invaluable.

    ​Since that morning, nearly three years ago, I have dived deep, stretched wide and soared high and in uncustomary non-action sat in silence with my feelings until they became vocal in the form of sobbing and storming. The one who kept emotions at bay in the service of keeping on keeping on had died that day to give birth to the one who is typing these words. I say that she had to die since she was killing me. Killing me with overwork and under-rest. Killing me with co-dependent savior behavior. Killing me with unreasonable standards for performance in all areas of my life. Killing me with rabid disapproval. Killing me by not holding my own heart sacred as I did others.
 
    Paradoxically, although I did not actually die; no ceasing of heart beat, I am prepared to die any day. I don’t fear it. I do fear incapacity and relying on others for my physical care.
 
     Here are some of the lessons I have learned:

• Leaning on another doesn’t mean it will last forever or be burdensome.
• We never know when our last day will be.
• There are do-overs and whole life makeovers.
• I need not be Wonder Woman who exhibits ‘savior behavior,’ and instead I call myself The Bionic Woman who has what I think of as a bionic body part (the stent).
• I choose not to let the heart attack go to waste and am heeding the messages it came to deliver.
• With an open heart emotionally, I give my cardiac muscle the love that it needs to keep on ticking.

 
    In celebration of my third cardiaversary, I am organizing a Free Hugs stroll on June 10th. If you are in the Philadelphia area, please join us. If not, hug someone wherever you are. 

About the Author: Kate Olson, CPC, CHt, is a Life Transformation Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, EFT & NLP Practitioner & Reiki Master with a practice in the Seattle area, Northern Lights Life Coaching. She offers workshops & classes, as well as, individual and group life coaching. Her emphasis is on assisting clients in finding path, purpose and peace. She focuses on integration of mind, body and spirit wellness. It is her mission to help clients find joy through connection, creative expression and change facilitation. She is passionate about creativity, travel, the environment, personal growth and living with joyful purpose. She has a second wellness-related business offering Salt Therapy, Salt Works Saltariums. Salt Therapy offers an all natural treatment solution for respiratory and skin problems.

 
​Do you feel lucky today or are you generally a lucky or unlucky person? More importantly, is there really luck at all? Are we, in fact, "lucky or unlucky"; or is it a matter of cause and effect and "luck" is simply our own imagination or conjecture. This question has been asked and debated quite extensively. Perhaps there is an answer or maybe not? 
   Having recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas, of course, this question did come up. Was I lucky? Well, I did try my hand at games of chance and came out $225.00 ahead playing balckjack.  Some people would refer to that as good luck, while others would not. The first day I gambled I came out $325.00 up, but on the second day I lost a hundred dollars. I was up a little over a hundred dollars that day, but kept playing and eventually lost it back, plus an additional hundred.  Was I unlucky that day or was it bad luck?
   On another note, my plane was an hour late arriving, my room was not up to par and the workshop I paid to attend was not what I expected. Was this all "bad luck"? Was my balckjack win "good luck"? There are differing opinions on that, but is there a definitive answer to the question?
   Clearly, I had nothing to do with the delays that made the plane late and I did nothing to justify the conditions of the the room not being what I expected and paid for. However, there were actions and behaviors that were causative for both of those circumstances (though not on my part). So, should I consider it "my bad luck"? Were my blackjack winnings "good luck" or was there something else at work in determining whether I would win or loose? I am a very good and knowledgeable player having dealt blackjack on a part-time basis for mock casino parties for over 20 years.  I almost always win, however, it is also true that if I play long enough, I will nearly always loose and on any given day or occurence of playing I may win or loose in a way that I am not expecting. Where does that leave us on the question of luck? Still pondering and uncertain?   

“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” 
― Dalai Lama XIV

“Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Wise men have expressed differing opinions on the subject of luck throughout history and we are still debating the existence of luck, good or bad!

  Several experts weigh in as follows:

 In a Discovery series, Through the Wormhole program narrated by Morgan Freeman the subject of luck is discussed from a scientic perspective and it seems, -- Luck is real from a Physicist's viewpoint!

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjZn8WlzevTAhWFLmMKHVcqCz8QFggnMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencechannel.com%2Ftv-shows%2Fthrough-the-wormhole%2Fvideos%2Fis-luck-real%2F&usg=AFQjCNFuOUGB2h9QAtrzqWBOZZmB2QVEMQ&sig2=Y1COJqqv1cPuLPba9DqYQg 

 It seems, "Even if you knew every physical detail of a coin toss -from the molecules in the air to the movement of your hands - that coin flip would still come down to fifty-fifty odds on heads or tails!" 
Thus, according to quamtum mechanics and quantum uncertainty theory - the science of it says "luck" is very real!" 

 In an article in Popular Science, May 17, 2015, "The Science of Luck - Is the phenomenon real? Can it be harnassed? by Alexandra Ossola - the argument for luck being real or believing in luck is supported, but with a twist:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjZn8WlzevTAhWFLmMKHVcqCz8QFggtMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popsci.com%2Fluck-real&usg=AFQjCNF0ILbJbsWlxZIgu7n5Be35SUuwLg&sig2=t15UHhw5VJba8DviWtdd3w

 Ossola states: "Many of these studies have found that what a person might perceive as “luck” has more to do with psychology than probability; "luck" is actually just her own positive attitude that keeps her open to new opportunities or perceiving patterns in random acts of chance."
This gives evidence that there is possibly a strong element to attitude or mindset as to whether a person is "lucky" or "unlucky" generally or on any given day, even considering the belief that luck is scientifically real.   

About the Author: Victoria Sexton is the founder and formulator for Victoria's Botanicals, an aromatherapy company. After studying aromatherapy at Bastyr University, she decided to open her own business sharing her essential oil creations with the world. Victoria’s ninja skill is blending essential oils that not only smell good but have a therapeutic purpose, as well.  
 Victoria creates easy to use and amazing smelling aromatherapy products- both custom and through her aromatherapy product line, Victoria's Botanicals. The products are EASY to use, already diluted and ready to go. 
You can check out all of our products at: 
https://victoriasbotanicals.com
 Want to learn how you can use an essential oil diffuser?  Sign up here for Victoria's FREE training, Diffuser 101. It covers everything you would want to know about diffusers, from what kind of diffuser to get, what to put in it and how to clean it. We'll see you in class. Go to www.diffuser101.com to get all the info. 

 ​These days everyone seems to be experiencing stress. One way to combat stress is by using essential oils, also known as aromatherapy.
Essential oils are made by steam distilling natural flowers, plants, bark or fruit peel. Essential oils are extremely concentrated; a little goes a long way. For that reason, I recommend that you dilute your oils if you apply topically. 
You can use essential oils topically, just be sure to properly dilute the oils. A 1-2% dilution is appropriate for topical use for ages 10 and up. That's just 7-14 drops per ounce. You don't need a lot of essential oil to achieve results. 
While topical usage is very popular, the easiest way to use essential oils is with an electric essential oil diffuser. Just a few drops, along with some tap water and your whole room can smell amazing. Many people use citrus essential oils as their “happy oil”. Use scents that make you happy. 
Keep in mind which scents are relaxing to you. Which scent makes you feel happy, lighten the mood or just smells really good. Scent is a funny thing. Scent carries with it memories from our past (both good and bad) that can trigger emotion. This is something to keep in mind when deciding on a relaxing essential oil. 
 
 Here are a few ways to combat stress using essential oils. 
 1) Take your essential oils with you throughout the day
Essential oils can be portable. You can take your favorite stress relief essential oils with you when you're on the go. 
If you're using essential oils topically make sure you use a carrier oil to dilute it. Almond oil, sunflower oil and kukui nut oil are great examples of carrier oils that you can buy at your local health food store. 
For an adult, a 1% dilution is appropriate. That just 7 drops of oil per ounce. Roller bottles make for easy application. 
My first recommendation is to use a diffuser. You can use an electric diffuser. If you're on the go you can use essential oil jewelry, a personal inhaler or even a car diffuser. These are low profile options and a great way to take your oils with you. 

 2) Use your oils during the most stressful time(s) of day 
What’s the most stressful part of your day? For some, the most stressful part of their day is their commute. For others, their most stressful part of the day is getting the kids ready for school, or maybe that daily status meeting causes you stress. 
My advice is to figure out what the most stressful part of the day is and find ways to incorporate essential oils into daily routines during that part of the day.
You can do this by buying a car diffuser or essential oil jewelry. Car diffusers can be helpful when dealing with a crazy commute, and the price point is less than $30 in most cases. Essential oil jewelry can be a great option for those who don’t have time to apply or re-apply throughout the day. If you have your own office at work, consider getting a small diffuser for your workspace.
​
 3) Use essential oils when you’re trying to relax
Essential oils can be used as a part of a stress relief activity like yoga, meditation or even going for a walk outside. Taking a few minutes out of your day to meditate, or even just breathe, can make a big difference in your stress level. During that time, get out your essential oil roller bottle. Apply the diluted essential oils to your pressure points, hands or even your jaw line. Breathe. Relax. 
If you like mixing your own individual oils try any of the following stress relieving essential oils:
lavender, geranium, frankincense, citrus oils like lemon, lime, oranges. (And remember if you're using citrus oils topically, use bergaptene free citrus oils to avoid photo sensitivity.) 

 About the Author:  Thomas E Ziemann is a Spiritual Researcher with over 37 years of experience in Meditation Practice and hosting Satsang’s. He has written two books. He is a Motivational, Keynote Speaker, a Published Author, and a Life Purpose Coach. Tom gives nationwide, uplifting lectures and teaches meditation and sculpting classes. He is happily married to his best friend. He has nine amazing cats that keep this “crazy cat man” busy.  He lives near Portland, Oregon.

 “The Loneliness Factor; Falling in Love with Love”
​
 Oh Man…If only I could have learned this simple, but profound lesson early on in my lonely single life. Looking back today with more mature eyes, having become more emotionally grounded, I lament just how many beautiful relationships could have blossomed? Sadly, they never did. I tried too hard to impress, gave too much too soon, shared way too much too early on…the bottom line was that I wanted to make it work so badly…I got so excited thinking I finally found “The One” that I through my brain to the wind and acted impulsively…I smothered, acted controlling and ended up pushing these class act women away.                    That putrid stench of Neediness permeated my being.
                      
 The truth was that I fell in love with the “idea of love,” got swept up in its alluring euphoria and not the real person. This works both ways in any romantic relationship.…
This is still something I struggle with today; there is a fine line between being a man wanting to show his partner how much he cares and coming off too intense and having to be with her every second. Not giving her enough space to breath.
                 
 I feel blessed today to have finally become aware of my “glomming on” aspect of my persona; I have found someone who helps keep me on an emotional even keel. She helps me see the bigger picture. Truth be told, I almost pissed this one away too.  For the first time in my adult life…I let my ego go; I didn’t try to impress her as I once would have. Talk is cheap, Actions show one’s true character. It’s worked wonders for me. Anyone can learn from my myriad of mistakes. If you are not willing to see yourself in an unflattering light, you will never grow to your full potential. 
​  
 Don’t give up. Allow things to unfold naturally. It does no good to push the river.
If you’re reading this, keep the faith.… I’m a believer in that we receive the love we believe we are worthy of. Don’t overlook a potentially rewarding relationship because on the surface it doesn’t seem like the “Perfect one”.
​
 Follow your heart…but trust your gut.

  “Pain as the Redeemer”

 Every single one of your reading this has been hurt. There has never existed a person in history who wasn’t. Bitten once, twice shy they acted. Good advice is to take some calculated risks. Small ones often receive small rewards but may lead to great resolve by having taken baby steps.
Will you get burned? Perhaps… however the greatest experience you could enjoy maybe taking that one chance that defines your lifetime. When we close up our heart; we think we are protecting it; as a result, we become an island of isolation. We miss the good we often would enjoy by fearing to attempt. Ships are safe in harbor, but they are meant for the sea. It will take dogmatic courage to get knocked down 8 times to get up 9. No one says it will be easy. Life doesn’t offer any guarantee of lasting happiness nor inner peace. The greatest rewards lie just outside of our comfort zone. Greatness is defined by overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
​
 Generally, it’s not people we don’t know who betray us. It’s the one’s we hold dear who can become careless or uncaring. Sometimes by bruising our heart we open the gateway to our soul. Take solace in knowing you made a go of it, make time to grieve then get back up on the horse.
 Keep the faith.                                                                    
 Remember that which you are seeking is also seeking you.   

​About the Author: Kate Olson, CPC, CHt, is a Life Transformation Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner & Reiki Master with a practice in the Seattle area, Northern Lights Life Coaching. She offers workshops & classes, as well as, individual and group life coaching. Her emphasis is on assisting clients in finding path, purpose and peace. She focuses on integration of mind, body and spirit wellness. It is her mission to help clients find joy through connection, creative expression and change facilitation. She is passionate about creativity, travel, the environment, personal growth and living with joyful purpose. She has a second wellness-related business offering Salt Therapy,  Salt Works Saltariums. Salt Therapy offers an all natural treatment solution for respiratory and skin problems.

  How Does Coaching differ from Counseling or Psychotherapy?
 
  Shifts and changes in life are inevitable. The universe was created to change.  Life is a process of constant flux and flow. However, often we become stuck along the way and we are unsure of which way to go next. Before you know it, a loss or death, the birth of a child, a job opportunity or a change in perspective comes along and your resistance to needed changes kicks in.  Coaching is the process of defining what areas of your life you feel anchored down to or stuck in and how to take behavioral steps towards change, direction and action.
 
 When you make the decision to make changes in your life it is both motivating and challenging. To committment that you want to create your life instead of reacting to events, is to take a huge step towards happiness.  A Life Coach helps you design your future rather than recover from your past. In a structured process, coaching focuses you on achieving change and learning the important lesson, that whatever we put our focus on, defines our experience.  Practicing disciplined conscious awareness, clients are urged to notice where they have been habitually putting their energy and learn how to "loosen from the anchor" so change can occur.
 
 Coaching focuses on possibilities to create a compelling vision for your future life based on self-acceptance and responsibility. Rather than focusing on general insight, the past, giving a medical diagnosis or personality change, coaching shows you how to define yourself in the present though the patterns of where you put your energy in thoughts, emotions and behavior. A Coach provides someone for you to be accountable to while you pursue changing these patterns. Unlike therapy, coaching emphasizes changing your performance vs. healing or simply increasing awareness. By motivating you with multiple strategies to foster change and remain consistent in your effort, your coach will be your cheerleader, guide and your support while you adjust your daily behaviors and move toward your goals.

​ What is Life Coaching? Life Coaching is a solution based approach to guiding a client to find the best resolution in achieving their goals or transitioning from one life stage or status to another. It is meant to be short term and focused on results, rather than processes. There are many different types of coaches who focus on different niche areas, use different caoching systems, strategies and healing modalities and they have different levels of training, certification and personal skills and characteristics. 
 As a Certified Life Transformation Coach and Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified NLP (Neuro-lingics Programming) Practitioner and Reiki Master,  I am able to use various tools and exercises to help my clients progress more quickly through the cognitive processes needed to achieve change. Neurolinguistics (NLP), Hypnosis and the Ancient Eastern Art of Reiki or Energy Healing are powerful modalities that can be very useful, as well as, traditional cognitive therapy, emotive processes and intuitive guidance. I also use EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique in my practice, which is a combination of accupressure and energy work that has been found to be very healing in the release of trauma, anxiety and pain managemnet. Life coaching is well-suited to helping clients through periods of transition and facilitating the processes that motivate forward movement. It is good for dealing with fears that are blocking progress and hindering functioning.
 Phobias can be dealt with more quickly and easily than with cognitive therapy or behavior modification and faster than most people would guess. Coaching with the tools of hypnosis and NLP guides the client to use the power of their own mind to their best advantage and to let go of limiting and unnecessary or dysfunctional behaviors, beliefs or traumas. Bad habits can be eliminated and replaced with good or more functional behaviors. Guiding the client to manage stress, pain and their own thoughts and to better focus on their positive goals, aspirations and dreams is part of the Dreamsculpting process & techniques that can lead to life changing transformation and desired outcomes. Whether you want to find your path, purpose or peace, it can be reached more quickly with the guidance of a life coach. You are definitely more powerful than you know and a coach can help you find that "Unlimited Power" within!
 Most people want to feel happiness or joy in their life. That is possible for us all; -- sometimes a little guidance can feel like magic in helping us to get to that place inside of ourselves that will lead to those feelings. Passion, creativity and self-expression are intricate parts of finding that authentic you and the balance and harmony that is optimal in achieving your potential. 

  Who can benefit from coaching?  The answer to that question is anyone who has a need to change or goals and dreams that they are working toward! While it is true that you can probably do whatever you could do with a coach on your own and a coach may tell you or guide you toward things you already know on some level (all the information is out there), you will reach your goal faster and more easily with the help of a good coach and may be more inclined to exceed your expectations. What would the Seahawks be without Pete Carroll? While that question cannot be answered definitively, they would probably be lots of talent and potential lacking some of their current direction and success. There are all kinds of coaches and they are amazing resources and usually individuals that love helping others achieve their goals. I strongly believe in reaching out for help in my own life and have done so when needed. Most recently, I have reached out for help from a speaking coach to help me become a more competent and less fearful speaker. It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel every time we face a challenge beyond our current expereince level. Almost every situation we will ever face in life has been successfully dealt with by someone. It only makes sense to reach out when we come to a place in life where we are stuck and don't know where to go. Having as many options as possible can only enhance the odds of succeeding. 

 
  How do you find a good coach? What should you look for in a coach? As with any other service professional finding the right match for you personally can make all the difference in your results. It is important to choose carefully and know what to look for. Coaching is a relatively new field and there are many different niches, systems of coaching and credential levels to consider. Before we get to those, the very most important qualification for a Life Coach is probably some expereince with life and dealing with it to reach a level of relative success for themselves. After that, you should look for a coach you feel comfortable with and communicate well with. They should understand and respect your learning and communication style and be able and willing to communicate with you on your level. You should feel trust in them and respected by them. They should be a good listener with active listening skills, who will ask you follow up questions to understand exactly where you are coming from. A good coach should have the following qualiaties:
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1. Empathy and compassion, while being able to remain objective.
2. Problem-solving and strategic thinking skills
3. Great Listening and analysis skills
4. Goal-Oriented and Inspired
5. Sets high expectations and challenges you
6. Able to explain their processes and answer questions
7. Open to possibility and new learning
8. Always working on growing and adding new skills

 
  While having good credentials and training in systems, modalities and different coaching strategies is, of course, important and finding someone with specific expereince in the areas you are seeking help with is definitely important, the qualities the coach possesses as a person and how they match up with you, is probably most important. Don't forget to listen to your intuition and that gut feeling you have, as they are usually right.  
​  The bottom line is that finding the right coach can make a big difference in your life and help you reach and exceed your greatest aspirations. You deserve the the best, so it is definitely worthwhile to find that great coach who will inspire you to be the "best version" of you and reach your highest aspirations.

About the Author:  Shelley Abrams spent close to 25 years as a corporate technical writer before branching out on her own as a freelancer in 2010. She loves writing and doing research and enjoys the diversity being a freelancer offers. She has contributed to blogs on spirituality, personal development, mindfulness, and health and wellness. She has written and maintained philosophical and spiritually based content for a paid membership site. She is currently co-authoring a non-fiction book that offers a unique spin on history and geology. She also does analysis and report writing for a marketing research firm. She has an MBA, as well as, a certificate in non-fiction writing. When she’s not writing, she likes being out in nature or just reflecting in the quiet. She finds history, geography, philosophy and meta-physics fascinating. She also loves traveling, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. To learn more about Ms. Abrams’ writing experiences, visit her website at www.write2spec.com.

  ​When you think of spring cleaning, what comes to mind? Deep-cleaning the house? Throwing things away? Simplicity? Happiness? It’s an annual ritual many of us go through. We almost always do it for practical purposes. As we accumulate more stuff we need to put it somewhere, so we get rid of some stuff we no longer use. We rarely do it for altruistic reasons, even if we give our things to charity. And, we rarely do it for its intrinsic value. But maybe we should rethink that!
 
In today’s society we strive to have it all. We work for it, we shop for it, we dream about it and we beat ourselves up when we don’t have it. We feel un-wealthy, unworthy and definitely NOT satisfied or happy! Why? Because we have been programmed throughout our lives to think that an accumulation of things is what constitutes happiness. And we use this accumulation of materiality to define who we are. So if materiality isn’t the answer to happiness, what is?
 
Let me answer by telling you a personal story.
 
A few years ago I was visiting friends and it struck me how simplistically they lived compared to me. They made more money, had fewer possessions and seemed happier. I had so much more - well, you know, stuff! And I certainly didn’t feel truly happy or satisfied. I had fallen into the cultural trap of always wanting more, and I bought it, racking up debt while running out of room to store it. It was at that moment I realized how much happier I was when I was younger and had less stuff. There was less stress, I had fun and if I’m honest with myself, I laughed and smiled more.
 
So, I made a decision. I really don’t need this stuff anymore! That isn’t what life is about. It’s about experiences and finding contentment, inner peace and happiness in or through those experiences. So I embraced spring cleaning year-round. And I embraced doing more of the things I liked to do.
 
Guess what? As I got rid of stuff, shopping only when I needed to, enjoying what I have and not stressing for more, I felt lighter, happier and dare I say it… more carefree! And, the less time I spent pursuing material things and instead focused on doing things that made me feel good about myself and my life, the more I sensed that deep satisfaction everyone seeks. In other words, I simplified my life and am happier because of it!
 
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychology professor and a leading expert on happiness, calls it “the flow” - doing what makes us feel good on the inside, not what we think makes us look good on the outside. In his 1999, American Psychologist article, “If We Are So Rich, Why Aren’t We Happy”, Csikszentmihalyi highlighted several reasons for feeling unhappy when our day-to-day activities consist mostly in pursuing material things and wealth. One reason was the concept of expectation versus value - the more we get the less satisfied we become. For example, you binge on a box of cookies thinking it will make you feel better, but the more you eat the less you enjoy it. 

  ​He also explained that the more energy we put into pursuing what we perceive will make us happy instead of what actually makes us happy, the less energetic we feel overall. If we really want to be happy, we need “flow”.
 
In his book “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience”, Csikszentmihalyi suggests three actions we can take to be happier:
 

• Find out what really gives you a deep-seated sense of satisfaction and makes you feel more energized and happy when you do it!
• Study what you spend your time on and how you feel doing them, then seek ways to spend time doing more of what makes you happy and satisfied and less of what you think will do it. 
• Take control, make a decision and take the necessary steps in your life to do what truly makes you happy.

  In this same book, Csikszentmihalyi sums it up by saying, “happiness is not something that happens. It is not the result of good fortune or random chance. It is not something that money can buy or power command. It does not depend on outside events, but, rather, on how we interpret them. Happiness, in fact, is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any of us can come to being happy.”

  Sri Paramhansa Yogananda espouses similar things in his book “How to be Happy all the Time”. In his book, Yogananda states that while there is material prosperity, people lack inner happiness because they look for it externally rather than internally. He mentions that happiness stems from being in control of your habits and what he calls “appetites” – the “over-demands of your senses”. He says that in order to be happy we shouldn’t be looking for things; instead we need to be content with what we have and in our pursuit of what we want. He also emphasizes simplicity, which he describes as “a quiet path of moderation”.

  This quote from Yogananda’s book is a good way of understanding happiness as it pertains to simplicity: “Joy is too delicate a flow to bloom in the sooted atmosphere of worldly minds, which crave happiness from money and possessions. Joy wilts too, when people water it inadequately by placing conditions on their happiness, telling themselves, ‘I won’t be really happy until I get that car (or dress, or house, or vacation by the sea)!’ Materialistic people, however frantically they pursue the butterfly of happiness, never succeed in catching it. Were they to possess everything their hearts ever craved, happiness would still elude them.”
​
  Now you understand that wanting and pursuing “stuff” does not lead to happiness, but does it mean to be happy we have to have nothing? If pictures of spiritual teachers living in absolute poverty come to mind, that is NOT simplicity and happiness as Yogananda and others define it. It means not buying things you don’t need – those “unnecessary possessions”. It means having enough. It doesn’t mean poverty or other extremes. It means comfortably living your life with, and doing, the things that truly make you happy and letting go of everything else.
​

​ So what are some ways you can live a more simplistic, happier life? Here are some tips from Yogananda:

• Spend time enjoying what “God has provided, without seeking false and expensive pleasures”. In other words, spend time in nature, in quiet contemplation, in reading, or listening to music in a reflective state.
• Make time for what’s important and don’t waste time on what’s not.
• Minimize stress, financial strain and worry by spending less on material things and living within your means.
• Let go of unnecessary clutter, the things that are truly not a necessity and keep those things that bring you inner contentment and self-sufficiency (he calls it “soul-sufficiency”) – in other words, do your spring cleaning!
• Enjoy the simple delights that life brings your way and take time to appreciate what you have and what’s around you.

 To be more specific, these are some things you can do to be in flow, be happier and live a simpler, more  fulfilling life:​

1. Spring clean! Declutter, downsize and make your home the sanctuary it’s supposed to be.This means not only rid yourself of things you don’t use, but also toss those things that give off negative energy, such as clothes that make you feel “ugly” or an item that makes you feel sad. Keep only what’s necessary and makes you feel good, inside and out!
2. Multi-task less and focus more on things that need your attention the most, first. Eliminate tasks that aren’t really needed.
3. Simplify your finances by cutting out unnecessary expenses or reducing them, spend less and enjoy what you have.
4. Spend time with your family. Do things together that don’t cost money. Eat together, talk with each other.  
5. Get outside, get out in nature. Go for a walk or hike, go running, do yoga in the grass.
6. Make fewer commitments, learn to say no, and keep your obligations to a minimum.

 
​ Spend time without distraction every day. Don’t use your electronics, don’t watch television, don’t check  emails. Instead, spend time meditating, in quiet reflection or observing yourself and others.
           
           “Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them, you have to take care of them!                     There is great freedom in the simplicity of living. It is those who have enough but not too much who are             the happiest." – Peace Pilgrim.

   We all have experiences in life that are defining and life changing; making us who we are. The lessons they teach us are important and usually meant to guide us on our journey. We sometimes forget them though, and it takes an event to remind us and get us back to our true self. I had one of those experiences last year. I was invited to attend the National Personal Development Symposium held at the Harvard Faculty Club in Boston, MA. It was an honor, an opportunity and a great learning experience. I had the opportunity to speak to very prestigious colleagues from across the country and to learn from them. It was, however, with great hesitation that I decided to participate at the event. My hesitation was due to my long-held fear and anxiety over speaking in front of large groups. As I listened to these polished and inspiring speakers, I will have to say that my anxiety was growing and I was having doubts as to actually pulling off this challenge with any degree of competence, let alone "grace". Then a beautiful and very exuberant woman stepped onto the stage with more enthusiasm than you can imagine. There was something very, well- "shiny" about her and she sparkled, quite literally with bright colorful stars. She had them on her face and she passed them out to her audience. She was Shiny Burcu Unsal, "The Shiny One".  She told her story of who she was and introduced her book, You Are A Star; Become A Galactic Leader in 5 Steps. Shiny teaches NLP (Neurolinguistics Programming) with her own “shiny” style and is an inspiring coach and thought leader living in Los Angeles, CA. Her book is definitely worth a read and her talk was inspiring. It had a special meaning for me, because her shiny stars brought back a childhood memory that motivated me just when I needed it.

   I committed to speaking at the symposium at the last minute and chose my topic, "How to Inspire Clients to Embrace the Simple Grace of Change" with the thought in mind that I, myself, was embracing change and hoping to do so with some grace. As I listened to the other speakers, it was through that memory of gold stars that I garnered the courage and had the confidence to face my fears, knowing that I could overcome them. Thank you so much, Shiny!
  My memory was of first grade at Catholic School and reading aloud from our readers. Learning to read did not come easily to me at first, though I quickly came to love it. Reading was a challenge, as I was slightly dyslexic and very shy, so reading aloud was difficult. My teacher, Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, was pretty strict and demanded perfection.  We were expected to volunteer to read or she would call on us. We were awarded gold stars for our performance, that were put in neat rows in the front of our book. The best reader for the day was selected to put the stars in the books and it was an honor to be chosen. It was a big deal and I wanted more than anything to have those gold stars and be the person to put them in the books, but I was too afraid to volunteer. One day I was chosen to read and finally picked to put the stars in the books! I was so excited! Perhaps, I was overexcited or something got out of hand and I got a little carried away with the stars. I not only put a star in my book and everyone else’s book, as I was supposed to do, but I put lots of stars in my book and everyone else’s. Everyone seemed very happy with the extra stars and so was I. I still remember the proud and beaming little faces and I remember looking at those neat little rows of stars and feeling proud, confident and well, a kind of satisfaction that I can’t describe. It was simply empowering! 
 
  When I went home that night, my Mom noticed all the extra stars and after some coaxing, I was forced to tell her about getting carried away and putting more stars than I was supposed to in my book and everyone’s books. She seemed to understand, but insisted that I tell Sister Mary the first thing the next morning. My Mom told me that the gold stars were nice, but that I should know that I was reading my very best, whether I got a gold star or not and that I should read well enough every day to deserve all those gold stars! I promised her and myself that I would. When I told Sister Mary what I had done, she was not happy and told me that I would never again get to give out the stars. I had to stay after school for several days and write my name on the board, which was a punishment, kind of a "shame" listing. Strangely, this did not deter my determination to prove that I deserved all those gold stars and from then on, I volunteered to read every day and knew that I read very well. I noticed also the smiles from everyone when I read and that they too seemed to read with more confidence.  I always wondered If they were earning their star too, and if Sister Mary noticed the special "magic'" that those gold stars seemed to have! Yes, I knew that I had been wrong in not following directions and getting carried away with the stars, but I blamed it on the "magic" of those shiny gold stars to inspire my courage. Going forward gold stars have always had that effect on me and so, with Shiny's star on my right hand, it was with courage and confidence that I gave my presentation at the National Personal Development Symposium. Although, I told the group at my table my story, no one else in the room knew of the magic power those tiny shiny stars held! I hope that the next time you face a challenge you have your own gold stars or other “magic” to help you along! 

​About the Author: Kate Olson, CPC, CHt, is a Life Transformation Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner & Reiki Master practicing in Seattle, WA, as founder of Northern Lights Life Coaching. She does workshops & classes, as well as, individual and group coaching. Her emphasis is on guiding clients in finding path, purpose and peace. She focuses on integration of mind, body and spirit wellness. It is her mission to help clients find joy through connection, creativity and change facilitation. She is passionate about the arts, travel, the environment, personal growth, family and living with joyful purpose. She has a second wellness-related business offering Salt Therapy, Salt Works Saltariums. Salt Therapy offers an all natural treatment solution for respiratory and skin issues.

 ​Change though it is constant and inevitable is a formidable challenge for many people. It is at the root of a lot of worry and anxiety and can even leave people stuck in the past or frozen in self-defeating behaviors and inaction. Why is it so scary? What can we do to make it easier to deal with and move forward with more confidence? I came across a poem that speaks well on the topic. It is titled simply, “Embrace”. Excerpts from an unknown author below:
 
Embrace
 
It’s Changing,
Everything is Changing, ….,
 
It’s already changed me.
I love the change,
The transformation fascinates me.
Everyday life as we know it will be no more.
Even the simple things have changed,
Rapid,
And irreversible,
Don’t deny the coming….,
 
Don’t fear that which is new
Does not matter if you love it or hate it,
Just so long as you
Embrace it!
 
--Unknown
 
This poem is so profound and yet so simple. It states very directly what is needed to overcome one of the most paralyzing problems of our lives. We must learn to “embrace” change! That is the key to dealing with and moving forward in life with grace and confidence. It is so simple and straight forward and yet, how do we accomplish this easily stated, but seemingly much more difficult task. How do we “embrace” change?
 
Some people do seem to move through life and deal with change with a sort of grace and simplicity that makes it seem easy and effortless. Perhaps, there are some secrets or keys that they are aware of, that do make life and change flow more easily. It turns out that much of the secret to doing so, involves simple shifts in thinking or mindset. There are some definite actions and attitudes that will lead you to dealing with change and moving forward with more ease and less drama and anxiety. It seems that would definitely be worthwhile. Charles Darwin famously said:
 
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change” …,-- Charles Darwin

When we break it down, most of the resistance to change comes from fear and that is what leads us to the worry and the anxiety that is so debilitating. The question is how do we overcome fear of the unknown and move forward with strength and confidence? How do we overcome the learned behaviors that keep us stuck and unable to move forward?
 
I recently had the fortunate experience of going through this process myself and it led me to explore this topic and come up with some of the answers to these questions. We are going through the process continuously, but I went through it with a conscious awareness that led me to not only write this blog, but to actually “walk the talk”,  as they say.
 
 I was invited to the National Personal Development Symposium last September, held at the Harvard Faculty Club in Boston, MA. It was a Mastermind gathering of leaders in the Personal Development field from across the country, contributing information and speaking on a wide variety of topics. I was honored and excited to be invited, however, speaking in front of large groups has always been something that struck me with that fear feeling in the pit of my stomach and caused me to forget everything that I had carefully planned to say. Initially, I thought I would attend the symposium and just participate in the panels and roundtables and not speak. As the event got closer, I saw that almost everyone that was attending was speaking. I considered this and knew I would regret it, if I did not take advantage of this opportunity to share a message. It was just four days before the event when it hit me, not only that I needed to do this, but what both my challenge and my message needed to be. I decided to “embrace change”,  to face my fears and move forward. I actually wrote my presentation on my flight to Boston and practiced it in the hotel before and during the event. My presentation was, “The Simple Grace of Embracing Change” and because I was speaking to colleagues, I modified it to include, “Ways to Inspire Clients with the Simple Grace of Embracing Change!”. It was, however, a trial by fire for me, as I was, in fact, “Embracing Change” and hoping to do so with some grace! 

It is one thing to research and find out the recommended actions to take to achieve something and quite another to implement and put them into action. I did not do it perfectly and it will take practice to do it with more grace and confidence, but I did do it and I am going to share with you some of the suggestions that made it easier and can be applied not just to my situation, but to dealing with almost any change that we are facing. Below is a list of some helpful mental adjustments for confronting change.

1. Reframe – Find a more positive perspective. Instead of “this is really scary!” think, “Wow, this could be very cool, an adventure!
2. Reorient – Recognize this is something new and acknowledge that. Take it in, realize what you are dealing with and that it is going to be okay. Possibly even awesome! 
3. Reset & Assess – In almost any new situation, we revert to what is called our “lizard brain” and very basic fear and danger warnings. We need to be able to question, not ignore, but simply question these warnings. Is it real danger? Do we have reason to be fearful? What is the worst that could happen? What would happen in that scenario? What reward or benefit is there, if we face that fear or danger? We need to adjust our responses to see the situation in a more realistic way and not respond to our “primitive warning signals”. 
4. Clear and Reprogram – Clear the slate and don’t assume that you already know all the answers. To move forward, we need to be able to look at things in a new light and see things from all angles. To do so, we have to stop re-thinking, over-thinking and depending on past knowing! We need to avoid being “too smart to think” and look at things from a real-time perspective. 
5. Adopt a “Zen” Mindset – This means knowing you “don’t know” and assuming nothing is absolutely true. Opening your mind to the possible. 
6. Reduce or let go of expectations. Be ready to accept what may come. Let that be okay.
7. Let go of resistance. Accept and acknowledge what is. Allow change to unfold and be open to the value and opportunity with an open mind. 
8. Look for lessons and opportunities to grow stronger and more resilient. Accept the wisdom & lessons and let change be your teacher and guide to inner peace. 
9. Acknowledge the new you. The small steps you have made to accept and to be  that change.

 
 There are also some coping skills and actions that accommodate change well.

• Simply take notice and be aware! Don’t run and hide.
• Accept your feelings about a change. Write them down.
• Read the Serenity Prayer. It is a powerful way to reframe your choices.
• Adopt an attitude of gratitude and see the opportunity to benefit.
• Choose your thoughts! Keep it positive. Write them down.
• Relax & destress. Deep breathing, meditation, exercise, favorite activities, eating well, sleep and general good self-care
• Set Goals that are smart, achievable and broken into small steps.
• Communicate and Connect.
• Reach out for help and resources. It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. There is almost always someone who has faced and dealt with every circumstance you will ever face. Though you might find your own way, it is always valuable to learn from others. 

To sum up, approach change as natural and with positive anticipation; an adventure. Embrace it and go with the flow. It will be difficult at first, maybe messy and you will make mistakes, but if you persevere it will lead you to a new and beautiful place.
 
To confront any change there are three keys:

• You must believe it is possible!
• You must believe you are capable!
• You must connect and communicate to use the power of shared wisdom.

 
 I am happy to say I did speak at the NPDS Event at Havard and was told that my presentation was impactful! While I plan to work more on my speaking skills, I faced my fear and "embraced change" and I am so glad I did. I told myself I could speak with grace and confidence and kept that thought in mind. The next time you confront the need to change, I ask you to keep the suggestions I have shared in mind and see how they work for you. Let me know? I would love to hear about your successes.

​About the Author: Kate Olson, CPC, CHt, is a Life Transformation Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner & Reiki Master practicing in Seattle, WA, as founder of Northern Lights Life Coaching. She does workshops & classes, as well as, individual and group coaching. Her emphasis is on guiding clients in finding path, purpose and peace. She focuses on integration of mind, body and spirit wellness. It is her mission to help clients find joy through connection, creativity and change facilitation. She is passionate about the arts, travel, the environment, personal growth, family and living with joyful purpose. She has a second wellness-related business offering Salt Therapy, Salt Works Saltariums. Salt Therapy offers an all natural treatment solution for respiratory and skin issues.

  It is always with great anticipation that we welcome in a New Year! It signals the end of one cycle and the beginning of something new.  A chance to start over with a clean slate or another chance to once again, with new vigor and motivation, set upon achieving our goals, aspirations and dreams. It is customary to make resolutions or commit ourselves to a new course of action. It is the traditional time when we start the new diet, commit to make it to the gym or start that much needed exercise program. We resolve to eat healthier, quit bad habits, go back to school, get that job we want or quit the one we don't want. We vow to find the love of our lives, start a business, write a book, be a better person in any number of ways, pursue our passion, make new friends, get out more, travel, work harder or maybe less, spend time with family, control our temper, pay attention to our health, go to the dentist, climb that mountain, remodel the kitchen, reorganize the garage or clean and organize the house. Well, that barely covers it all, but you get the idea. We have a list of things which we are currently unhappy with and we resolve, once again, to finally make the changes we think will lead to greater happiness and satisfaction in our lives.
​
  Some people do actually succeed in sticking to and achieving the "Resolutions" they set for the New Year. Most, however, stay on track only until they start hitting a few obstacles and their resolve dwindles to excuses, "oh wells" and feelings of frustration, failure or fated self-determination. Why is this? Why do we start out with such a positive outlook and good intentions accompanied by the fireworks and celebration and then fizzle like a spent firecracker? Does it have to be this way? Should we make resolutions at all? Is there a better way?

  While we don't need to make resolutions or start our new goals at the beginning of the New Year, it is good to have goals and a plan for achieving them.  And yes, it is possible to actually reach your goals and there are certain behaviors and actions that will give you a better chance of not falling into the 92% that failure to keep their resolutions or reach their goals. If you follow the tips below, you will have a better chance of successfully achieving your goals! Remember though that it is not a race and there is no specific start and finish time for your goals, unless you set those deadlines yourself. It is not linked to the lunar calendar! You can start on your own schedule and progress at whatever rate you decide. However, if you want to make your goals come to life, there are some definite steps to greatly increase the odds. Listed below are some tried and true suggestions for achieving the goals you set for yourself:​

1. Choose a goal that is something you genuinely want, rather than something you feel you should do or someone else thinks you should do.  
2. If you want to achieve more than one goal, limit it to no more than 2 or 3 goals that you are working toward at one time. 
3. Be specific about what you want to achieve and write it down with as much detail as possible. .
4. Make a plan with the steps you need to take to achieve your end goal clearly indicated. Break it down into small steps.
5. Visualize your outcome and what it will be like to achieve your goal. How will it feel? What will you gain by reaching this goal? Really see yourself doing it and believe you are there.
6. Be prepared for resistance and doubts when they pop up (they will) and be ready to counter them with the vision of your positive outcome!
7. Share your goals only with trusted and supportive friends and family. You don’t need any critics. Surround yourself with supporters and positivity!
8. If you slip up along the way, forgive yourself and get back on course. Recommit to your goal! You will only fail, if you quit! You might need to make adjustments and change course, but if you persevere you will reach your destination.  

  Here we are in Mid-February and the year is well under way, however, it is not too late to “Step into the New Year with Resolve” and make those goals and dreams into successful accomplishments for 2017! I can and I will! How about you? 

Andrej Prado Nickel, L.A.c. was raised in Germany, a leader in the alternative medicine practices in Europe. He finished his Masters of Science in Acupuncture and TCM at Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Denver, CO. While there, he also invested time expanding his education on different forms of acupuncture, such as the Distal Point Method taught by Dr. Richard Tan. This method aims for quick pain relief while being a gentle treatment approach. Andrej now specializes on treating musculor-skeletal and pain conditions while incorporating advice on lifestyle, general health and fitness to keep his patients healthy. He aims to be professional, personable and approachable in his delivery and go beyond expectations in meeting his patients expectations. 

In the last 30 years, Acupuncture has found some solid ground in the U.S. healthcare market and it has left its mark. We have believers & non-believers, proof and disproof, rejection and adoption, all around this treatment method. However, the growing consensus on its efficacy is most solidly anchored in the number of clients whose lives are being changed for the better.
 
Acupuncture is part of an over 2000-year-old medicine that has slowly developed into what we now call Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The application of needles to various sites on the body is used to induce change in disease and maintain health. Acupuncture itself might be even older than that if we look at the story of Ötzi - the iceman. Thousands of years have been spent on trial and error, data collection and presservation to make TCM what it is today, an extensive collection of knowledge and experience in the treatment of almost any health conplication in a systematic and symptom based diagnosis. The true amazement lies in the realization of how comprehensive TCM has become for the treatment and prevention of disease. It is designed to be a true whole care or holistic medicine. 

1. Nutrition - is understood to be the most important part to maintaining health. Foods are categorized by the effects they have on one's body. The most easily relatable properties here are warming and cooling foods, such as cinnamon and peppermint. Foods are also considered tonics, such as sweet berries and roots, of which Goji berries and Ginseng have risen to popular heights. Other foods are used to treat constipation, such as rhubarb and hemp seed.
2. Lifestyle - hard work, overeating, uncontrolled sex drive and too much leisure have all been identified to have straining/ depleting effects on your health.
3. Emotions –  are you excessively worried, afraid, angry, sad or even over-the-top joyful? Many scholars believe emotions to be related to disease, think PTSD.
4. Medical treatment - including acupuncture, gua sha, cupping, massage (Tui Na) & Chinese Herbal Medicine.
5. Maintaining health - rather than providing care only when disease has a head start, a TCM practitioner makes every effort to keep his patients healthy. In historic China, a healer was judged not only by how he managed to cure an affliction, but by the general health of the community he was caring for.​

TCM utilizes an extensive collection of Super-foods, some of which you will recognize from your kitchen. Ginger, Spring Onion, Cinnamon and other usual suspects are commonly used in Chinese Herbal Medicine. Single herbs are most importantly categorized by their respective taste: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, as well as, bland. Together with other properties, herbs can, for example, be used to increase Lung Yin which would be helpful in a dry cough. Bitter herbs aid to resolve water retention, which is common among patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Most often you will find multiple herbs combined to a classical or custom formula, which includes as little as two and as many as twenty herbs, mixed to benefit one another and address multiple symptoms simultaneously.

​More important than being a well-functioning medicine by itself, Traditional Chinese Medicine makes for a good team player. Acupuncture has been praised for its ability to integrate and compliment other treatment modalities by either supporting the treatment strategy or by treating undesirable side effects. This becomes most beneficial when receiving taxing forms of treatment, such as, being treated for parasites or cancer.
 
At the center of this medicine is the idea of a universal force inherent to all life and all matter that exists - Qi. This idea has broad applications across the world we inhabit. It is there when you breathe, your heart beats, the wind changes direction and when your DNA is spliced to be transcribed into RNA. It is a force that keeps the very fabric of our world together.

Qi obeys the principle of duality described by the terms Yin & Yang.
Yin and Yang have a relationship and… it's complicated.
Yin is used to describe such things as cold, hard, dark, slow, etc.
Yang on the other hand is hot, soft, bright, fast, etc.
While they are often used to describe opposites, they have an interdependent relationship in which they indefinitely demand the existence of the other and thus their own.
 
An example can be your nearby traffic light:
The red light is Yin, it demands halt, waiting, giving others the chance to move about.
The green light is Yang, it requires flow and movement on your part.
The traffic light is Yin, then Yang, then Yin, then Yang…
If we don’t have a red light, we don’t need a green one and thus we would need something else… a roundabout: Yield, then go, yield, then go…
Yin is used to describe such things as cold, hard, dark, slow, etc.
Yang on the other hand is hot, soft, bright, fast, etc.

Next time you find yourself stuck at a traffic light allow this to be a brief moment of Yin before you accelerate to inhuman speed. This philosophical principle has been a loyal guide by my side in the past years. It helps me to remember that no event in my life is one sided. If I am frustrated, sad or happy, I know that these emotions are not all there is, but that it is a small moment weighing against the whole of my life. This makes my problems a little smaller and my pleasures all the more valuable.
 
Would I recommend TCM for everyone? Of course, I would! I do strongly believe, though, that most of the magic of healing comes from the trust you can place in your healthcare provider. Do you have the feeling that he/ she has your interest at heart? Can you communicate your concerns and questions to this person? That little bit of magic, or placebo, can make all the difference in the treatment outcome.
​

 About the Author: Kate Olson, CPC, CHT, is a Life Transformation Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP Practitioner & Reiki Master practicing in Seattle, WA, as founder of Northern Lights Life Coaching. She does workshops & classes, as well as, individual and group coaching. Her emphasis is on guiding clients in finding path, purpose and peace. She focuses on integration of mind, body and spirit wellness. It is her mission to help clients find joy through connection, creativity and change facilitation. She is passionate about the arts, travel, the environment, personal growth, family and living with joyful purpose. She has a second wellness-related business offering Salt Therapy, Salt Works Saltariums. Salt Therapy offers an all natural treatment solution for respiratory and skin issues.

   While I strongly believe in living in the present, moving forward and not dwelling in the past, there is value in taking time for a little reflection. It is important to realize how far you have come, what you have accomplished, what you learned and to relish the pleasures and gifts you have received or even the lessons learned through trials and painful experiences. I am looking back on 2016, my personal and business progress, as Northern Lights Life Coaching. It is easy to see only what we have not yet accomplished and forget about the journey as a whole and the the achievements we have made along the way.

  I started off 2016 with hesitation, trying to get my barrings after a busy 2015, that went by very quickly.  My business model for my saltariums was not working the way I planned and the first location for the units had not worked out. I needed to re-evaluate and decide on a different plan. My life coaching was coming together, but definitely requiring more time for marketing and some fine tuning, in terms of direction and focus.  I wanted to do everything, but realized I needed some targeted focus and clarity of mission. Personally, I was concerned about my son, who was having a hard time with his living circumstances in Wichita, KS. He had moved there 3 years earlier.  He was considering moving back home and I wanted to help him with that transition. It involved selling a condo I had bought there and  those two things took up a lot of my time the first part of the year and I was not able to put all my focus on business. While I wanted my son to move back to Washington and was happy to have him back home, having your adult children back living at home is always a challenge and an adjustment.  I think business-wise my year really started off in March.  My son moved back home in mid-April and I am happy to say he is doing well now, with some direction and goals for his future.

  In March 2016, I decided to commit to some business networking after going to a workshop where the facilitator suggested that a new business should be networking 20 hours per week.  While I found that much networking was nearly impossible, I did give it a good try and joined several networking groups. I will have to say, it did get my year hopping and I met some interesting and very helpful connections that also turned out to be great people. I gained a lot of support and good ideas for moving my business forward. I  also committed to ramp up my social media presence and that led to some great opportunities.

  To summarize the highlights of 2016, in April, I started a meetup group, Vibrant Spirit "Living On Purpose" Tea Chats. It is a group for connection and conversation and has led to a bigger idea I will be introducing this year. The group struggled over the summer, but the concept is a good strong foundation for future plans and we had some fun meetings over the year.  At the end of May, I went to Japan with a friend who was born there. She asked me to accompany her there to visit her 86 year old Aunt. It was a great opportunity and an interesting trip.  Japan is a beautiful country with a fascinating culture and I know I will have to go back, as a week was not enough time to really explore. In July, I was presented with an unexpected and fortunate opportunity to attend the Personal Development Symposium in Boston, MA and do a presentation, as well as, participate in round tables and panels for the 2-day event at Harvard University Faculty Club.  The event was in mid-September and I will have to say it took me that long to decide that I was up to doing the presentation.  I did my presentation on "The Simple Grace of Embracing Change" with emphasis on how to inspire clients to embrace change. This was appropriate, as I was embracing change myself and it was a high impact learning experience. It was an amazing, inspiring adventure. I met colleagues from across the country, connected with and learned from them and will keep in touch long-term.  In early September, I took a trip down to Salem, Oregon and appeared on a CCTV show called, "Gray Matters", hosted by B-Lee Coyne. The program highlights subjects of importance to the health and wellness of the community. This was a big step out of my comfort zone, but good preparation for my presentation at the Harvard Faculty Club, just a couple weeks later. 
​
  Just a week after returning from Boston, I left on a trip to Sedona, AZ where I attended a personal growth workshop, Women-n-Spirit and then did some personal growth sessions designed specifically to help me in reaching my own goals and dreams. Sedona is always a nurturing and soul inspiring location for me and I came away with new energy and focus. Even though the airline lost my luggage, creating a great deal of inconvenience, I very much enjoyed my trip. Next, I went to Madison, WI, for a 3-day business conference. It was my first time in WI. Madison was a lovely city with a small town feel and I loved the lakes and old buildings. The conference provided some good information and insight, but I had a bit of jet lag and ended up missing part of it dealing with the airline about my luggage. The luggage was never found and I was eventually reimbursed in mid-December. The luggage was lost on a two and a half hour direct flight on September 22.  Since it was a 3 week trip, I had packed a lot of clothes. Lesson definitely learned, on luggage and airlines. From Madison, WI, for the last leg of my trip, I flew to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Balloon Fiesta. It had been on my wishlist for a couple of years and I will say, it was totally worth it! I really enjoyed Albuquerque and will have to go back soon to see more and visit the surrounding areas. When I returned home, I had a lot of catching up to do and the time flew by.  I was featured in a "Member of the Month" blog for Heart to Heart networking group. To find out more about my business and how it was started click the link to the blog post below: 

http://www.hearttoheartnetworking.com/2016/11/member-of-month-kate-olson-with.html 
​
  I was privileged to be invited to interview by the Positividy Now podcast 1% Club. Listen below:
 
We sat down with Kate Olson on the latest episode of our podcast. Listen here: https://t.co/Wf9cxzVlUN
@KONorthernlites #coaching https://t.co/6ZMzAZuUGX
(https://twitter.com/positividynow/status/816665861553528833?s=03)
This is such an inspiring program and it was truly an honor to be included as a guest! 

  After my Harvard presentation, I was inspired to become a more proficient speaker, so I enrolled in a 3-day speaking workshop that was held in Port Ludlow. It was another challenging, but rewarding experience. I learned a lot and will put it into practice in 2017, as I continue to work on developing those skills.. A few days after I returned from the Port Ludlow speaker workshop, I left on my birthday trip. I went to Santa Barbara and Palm Desert, CA for a week and it was a wonderful relaxing retreat where I nurtured myself and enjoyed the sunny weather thoroughly. The rest of the year went by in a flash, as I tried to get the many things still on my to-do list completed. The last Vibrant Spirit "Living On Purpose" Tea Chat included a guest speaker and some pop up stores and was a fun event. I enjoyed Christmas with family and toasted in the New Year with Brunch with friends and a great view followed by a Seahawks game. It was so nice to have my son here to share the holidays, as I had missed that in 2015. 

  My most valued takeaways from the year were definitely the amazing people I met and connected with, the ideas that were inspired by those people, the places I visited and the amazing opportunities and experiences that I was blessed to participate in.  I know I will be more open to opportunities in 2017 and will continue this journey. That included some great clients that I was priveleged to watch grow and achieve goals. I am thankful for the trust they showed in sharing their journey with me. The year inspired a new mission and has given my business goals more focus and momentum. Personally, I feel more centered and ready to reach out and create the vision I have for my life.  What a year I had and what a year I am looking forward to. I hope you had a year you can look back on, see how far you have come and smile!  Wishing you an amazing 2017!    

About the Author - Tera Lea Day, CLSC, CHT has been teaching Anger Management Awareness since 2009. She is a Certified Master Practitioner NLP Life Coach with extensive training. Her background education and degree are in Medical Management and Administration. In her 25 years of management, communication was a key component of behavior change in the workplace. Currently, Tera uses all her knowledge and training helping clients to implement the tools and techniques she learned to develop new communication skills and more successful, fulfilling business and personal relationships.

 Surrounding Sedona among the red rock peaks there are four main and two lesser vortexes.  A vortex is the funnel shape created by the whirling motion of fluid or another substance.  Some examples would be whirlwinds, tornadoes or water going down the drain. It can be anything with a flow, such as, water, wind or electricity.  In Sedona, they are whirling centers of subtle energy coming out from the surface of the earth.  It is not really electricity or magnetism, but leaves a slight measurable magnetic residual where the flow is strong.  It is scientifically measurable. The attributes given to or used to interpret the effects of this phenomenon are more subjective.  The four main vortexes of Sedona are Airport Mesa, Boynton Canyon, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock.  Two lesser vortxes are Spaceship Rock and Munds Trail.  There is also a fairly weak vortex that is said to run through and under the post office in Old Sedona.  Each is said to have its own particular feminine, masculine or balanced energy, which imparts different gifts or awareness upon those visiting.  Airport Mesa is known for its masculine energy, while Cathedral Rock is known for its feminine energy.  Bell Rock is the strongest of the vortexes and has powerful energy in all three areas; masculine, feminine and balance.  Boynton Canyon is known for its yin/yang or balanced energy.
  Sedona has a number of other attractions with special spiritual significance. There is Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park located off Thunder Mountain Trail. It is a majestic Tibetan Buddhist temple built on the mountainside and maintained by volunteers. They do meditations and many traditional ceremonies there. It is a truly peaceful and uplifting place. 
There are numerous sacred labyrinths in and around Sedona. A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to spiritual wholeness. It combines circular and spiral shapes into a purposeful prayer path. It represents the journey of inward growth and manifestation back into our outer world. Labyrinths have long been used for connection to the spiritual world and as meditation and prayer sanctuaries. I found it to be a peaceful place for thought and meditation and did find a few personal answers there. You can visit ancient Indian ruins in Sedona or find many handcrafted works of art or Native American healing symbols. Crystal shops abound and any other purveyors of healing in almost any form you can imagine. Visiting a psychic or medium depending on what you would like to find out is probably a must, whether you believe in them or not. Some of the world’s best and most gifted healers make their home in Sedona. I visited one while I was there and she told me some interesting tidbits. Some turned out to be right on target, though I have not yet met that adventurous, handsome man she saw in my future. If you have not experienced a Reiki Energy healing session, Sedona is an excellent place to do so. You can go to the Reiki Center in downtown East Sedona or one of the many other practitioners located in the area. The healing power of Reiki was definitely a surprise discovery for me. I was a definite skeptic, but when my headache disappeared in about 10 minutes with a reiki healing after failing to respond to Excedrin, I had to give it consideration. Since, I am now a Reiki Master my attitude has turned around completely. The whole vibe of Sedona is a convergence of spiritual beliefs from around the world. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a Catholic Church that was constructed right among the Red Rocks and with its tall spiral windows with views of Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock it is beautiful and breathtaking. The chapel is both inspiring and incredibly peaceful. It draws people of all faiths who make gift offerings, pray and gather with peaceful intention. They still provide church services, as well as, special ceremonies. When I visited, I saw a group of Buddhist monks, Muslim families, Christians of all denominations and there were nuns operating the gift shop and information desk. It was such a beautiful feeling. I doubt that it is possible to visit Sedona without feeling some sort of spiritual connection, no matter what your beliefs may be. That is the wonderful thing though; Sedona leaves you to interpret the majesty of an energy greater than and beyond ourselves on your own terms, while leaving you certain that you have made that connection with spirit.

My month in Sedona changed me, inspired me and connected me with a deeper part of myself. Sedona will always hold a piece of my heart and draw me back with her mystic charm and unique beauty. If there is something to the vortexes, I do think I left Sedona with more confidence and a greater sense of commitment (masculine energy), stronger intuitive awareness (feminine energy) and a greater feeling of peacefulness (balance). I am sure that I will always find mysteries to uncover and never tire of her stunning vistas. I truly believe Sedona is one of those “magical” places.    

Victoriah Arsenian is author of Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip and has contributed to several culturally-based travel publictions including, the ward winning publications, Guide to Indian Country and Explore Northwest Tribes. She is an all-around adventure seeker and cerified yoga instructor.

​People travel for profound reasons. Most of us are looking to escape stressful, busy lives that allow for little time to catch our breaths. Americans, especially, have created daily routines dominated by technology. Our time and energy are spent meeting the demands of jobs and mundane activities that leave us feeling uninspired, physically drained, and disconnected. Our happiness suffers, and as a result, so does the quality of our health and wellbeing. We want to unplug and move away from the external voices that expect more of us to re-connect to our own voice, and to remember how to breathe deeply and with authenticity.
 
In 2007, Princeton economist Alan Krueger published the results of a research study in his paper called “Are We Having More Fun Yet?” Not surprisingly, most Americans answered, “No.” According to the study, despite social and economic progress over the last 50 years, we have spent less time doing what we love. Human beings are, by nature, playful and curious about the world, yet, we have reduced experiences that offer opportunities for play, exploration and meaning. Placing ourselves into an unfamiliar environment helps us to discover something new about the world, about others, and about ourselves.
 
New experiences not only influence our mood and perspective, but also have an overreaching impact on our health. The Global Wellness Institute recently reported that 86 percent of people who travel have a more positive outlook on life, while 89 percent were able to release stress. Stress has become a leading factor and cause of accelerated aging and illness. The institute also found that mainstream medicine’s lack of solutions for the rise of some chronic diseases and lifestyle illnesses, such as asthma, obesity and depression have motivated more people to turn to travel for better health. In fact, the travel sector aptly named “wellness tourism” is growing twice as fast as any other market; its value estimated at an astounding $3.4 trillion, vs. the $1 trillion pharmaceutical industry.
 
Travel experiences that are centered on stress reduction and rejuvenation, and that incorporate a menu of opportunities from spiritual connection and cultural engagement to physical activity and food education are not difficult to find. Many tour agencies, spa resorts and travel destinations around the world are answering the demand for meaningful experiences in replacement of mindless entertainment.
 
Destinations That Inspire
India has long been a popular travel destination for tourists seeking mindfulness and spiritual growth. From The Beatles to Oprah Winfrey many have made the pilgrimage to Rishikesh (www.rishikeshtourism.in), which lies between the great Himalayas and the holy river Ganges. People come to Rishikesh to learn about the ancient arts of yoga and meditation, as well as the practice of traditional Indian medicine, known as, Ayurveda or "science of life." Here, travelers can explore on their own or by tour guide, but however one chooses to experience this sacred place, Rishikesh is certain to have a transformative effect.
 
An inspiring space to bridge the gap between body, mind, and spirit is in the world’s most bio-diverse country — Ecuador. Amazon Andes Sky (www.amazonandessky.com) runs meditation and yoga retreats that don’t just offer instructional yoga and guided meditation, but an immersion into nature, the local culture, and the opportunity for exploration into “your inner landscapes with depth and focus.”
 
In northeastern Arizona within the bounds of the great Navajo Nation, the Canyon de Chelly National Monument embodies a richness of historical and spiritual importance. An estimated 2700 archaeological sites are contained within its many canyons, including the well-preserved Anasazi ruins. It is a magical and spiritual place where both the Navajo and Hopi nations have made their sacred journeys for more than a thousand years. Travelers seeking inner reflection and solitude can explore the unique red-rock along a single public hiking trail. Other trails are closed to non-natives due to the area’s spiritual significance to Native Americans. However, travelers have the opportunity to hire a Navajo guide (www.canyondechellytours.com) who not only provides a gateway into the sacred canyons, but also shares the fascinating history of the canyons and the ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi), Hopi and Navajo peoples. 
 
Fresh and natural foods are therapy for the soul on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, and so is the magnificent landscape. The Olympic Coast Culinary Loop (www.olympicculinaryloop.com) captures the diverse blend of flavors and scenery of the communities it encapsulates. Indigenous ingredients, artisan foods and local sea fare tell the stories of each village, town, and berth — the kind of stories that travelers bring home and share with others. With Olympic National Park (www.olympicnationalparks.com) at its center, the peninsula is a myriad of lush rain forests, glacier-carved canyons and high mountain ridges. The Hall of Mosses trailhead is a doorway into the world of the Hoh Rainforest where time has no presence. The trail drifts through the mist and within the reaches of old-growth trees wrapped in moss. Perched beneath the canopy, birds sing an ancient song that seems in harmony with the streaming rivers. In this place, every step forward fills a new space never encountered in the same way, and likely, never again.
 
Travel doesn’t have to be complicated, long, or even far from home. What’s important is to unplug and step away long enough to recharge and revitalize. When we return, the journey doesn’t end, it transforms; we feel inspired to do better and be better, to push through the limits of possibility to become healthier and happier…to become our greatest selves.