WellnessWoman 40 and Beyond...Different Backgrounds, Same Journey

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LAUNCH ISSUE FALL 2013

IN THIS ISSUE WHAT IS A WELLNESS WOMAN? HAPPINESS IS POSSIBLE - IF YOU’RE WILLING TO LOSE CONTROL Great Articles on Attaining Spiritual Wellness, Body Wellness, Mind Wellness and more...

TABLE OF CONTENTS What Is A Wellness Woman Wellness Woman Poem From The Editor

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Feel Good Spaces - Making Your Home Your Sanctuary 38

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Women Wellness Columns

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Drink, Wine and Giggle - Seven Ways To Improve Your Bouncebackability 40

Spiritual Wellness Healing Words - Creating Miracles

The Dream Queen

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Are You Holding on To Negative Energy 10

Powerful Me - Living With Great Meaning As a Magnificent Woman of God 46

Happiness Is Possible - If Your Willing to Loose Control 12

Wellness Affirmations

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Featured Wellness Woman - Our Stories Carmela Ramaglia

Body Wellness Fitness For The 40 and Over Crowd

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Essential Oils and Herbs - The Must Haves for Women Over 40 20 Smoothies To Flatten Your Belly

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Natural Tips for Your Ultimate Health

Chyrell English Vasavi Kumar

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Monique Stoner Susan Tolles

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Mind Wellness Whose Team Are You On?

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Do You Have An Emotionally Healthy Relationship With Food?

32 Your Life Purpose Makes Navigating Our Life’s Milestones Easy – Part 1 34

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

-1 Corinthians 19-20 (NIV)

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CREDITS Publisher

Columnists

PraiseWorks

Carol Dunlop Susan Tolles Carmela Ramaglia Kathleen O’Keefe-Kavnavos Mary Ellen Ciganovich Rebecca Norrington Suzanne Strisower

Founder & Editor-In-Chief Lynnis Woods-Mullins

Editorial Staff Theresa L. Lewis, Ed.D.

Layout & Design Paul Jones (WebPlexx.com)

Graphic Designer Paul Jones (WebPlexx.com)

Business Operations & Advertising Manager

Contributing Writers Deb Mangolt Bess Blanco Lynne Everatt Julie Smethurst Sherry Ways Dr. Mayisha Clairbourne Jennifer Paulsen Dr. Kathy Gruver

Victoria E. Moore

Advisory Board Krista Dunk Mary Ellen Ciganovich Bess Blanco Kathleen O-Keefe Kavnavos Carmela Ramaglia Susan Tolles Martina Desgouttes Carol Dunlop Suzanne Strisower

Layout & Design by www.WebPlexx.com

www.PraiseWorks.biz

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WHAT IS A WELLNESS WOMAN A wellness woman is passionate about living her life in a very health-conscious way, encompassing Mind, Body, and Soul, all while having fun. This doesn’t mean that she consciously thinks about health, but rather it is embedded into her way of life. How can you live your life in a health-conscious way, yet not be focused on health 24/7? You can by living your life with a multitude of healthy habits.

For her mind, the Wellness Woman will look for ways to exercise and stretch her mind. She will look for new ways to do things, change her routine often, try new things, read different types of genres, and challenge herself to step out of her comfort zone and experience different ways of life. She might learn a new language or learn to play the violin, but she doesn’t have to take big steps.

Trying a new recipe, memorizing a favorite quote, or even changing the route to get her home will keep her mind open, eager, and healthy.

of forgiveness, showing gratitude, staying connected to her community and maintaining good relationships with family and friends.

A Wellness Woman isn’t perfect but she strives to be better than she was the day before. She is happy and has joy in her life. People want to be around a Wellness Woman. We all want to be a Wellness Woman and most of us are on the path to becoming one. For being a Wellness Woman is not a destination, but a journey.

Submitted by: The Drink Wine and Giggle Gals Lynne Everatt, Deb Mangolt, and Julie Smethurst http://www.drinkwineandgiggle.com

The Wellness Woman knows that listening to her body is vital to staying healthy. She works out regularly, walks as much as she can, takes the steps instead of the elevator, and is aware of the health aspects of various foods. She has her own sense of style and knows that just because something is the latest in fashion that doesn’t mean it is for her.

Finally, being a Wellness Woman means that she is comfortable in her own skin. The Wellness Woman lives her life from a place of genuine love for people and herself. She knows the health benefits

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WOMAN OF WELLNESS Wellness women know the importance about breast exam and annual pap-smear This is something we must do every year Vitamin’s, protein, rest, and exercise is now our new regiment now we are living life as if it’s heaven sent Wellness of mind, body, and soul is better than pure gold.

Wellness is like the morning sun that keep your world brighten As you stand tall with strength, meeting each challenge You take life by leaps and bounds Never touching the ground Wellness Women strike your pose for you are the new picture of the fountain of health Nurturing your body is your wealth Inspiring other women by living by example Is my sample Wellness is something you can’t keep a secret Because your results are beaming when you step into the world You embrace life with such a glow as you speak your words flow You become the champion of your own destiny By loving yourself so much treating our body Like we treat our vehicle We keep it tune up and give it all the things To keep on running, we take pride in life We love the temple of our vessels And we thank God by showing him we love ourselves By being the Women of Wellness. © by Luella Hill-Dudley

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Featured Wellness Woman CARMELA RAMAGLIA RENTON, WASHINGTON

Carmela Ramaglia is a force. From a size double 00 to size double XL, Carmela truly understands the unique and painful struggles dysfunctional relationships with food and exercise create. For most of her life Carmela has struggled with a painful obsession with food , diet, exercise and weight loss. Carmela discovered that her challenge with weight gain and food had very little to do with her lack of exercise or failure to count calories. After Carmela got her own weight and health issues under control she decided to share her philosophy of self-esteem, self-love and healing the spirit with other women who were searching for a way to feel better about themselves.

Carmela Ramaglia …Engaging…Confident… and a Wellness Woman Lynnis: What is your definition of a Wellness Woman?

Carmela: Someone who is a conduit for life force. She exudes vitality and energy, having harmony between her thoughts, beliefs, feelings and actions. She stands in her strength.

Lynnis: What have you learned along your personal journey towards wellness?

Carmela: I have learned to understand that my body knows more than I do. I have learned to trust my body and not control it. I’ve learned that there is no real relationship between diet and exercise. The real relationship is between my body and me. Food and exercise are simply ways in which I express myself in relationship to my body.

Lynnis: What do you do or say to inspire others along their journey towards wellness?

Carmela: We can never “not feel.” It doesn’t serve us to suppress our feelings or judge your feelings as “good” or “bad.” Feel whatever you are feeling, and then find positive and

constructive ways to transform and release them.

With a worldwide audience representing more than 35 countries, Carmela Ramaglia is quickly becoming internationally recognized as a leading authority in clarifying and healing the issues surrounding diet, exercise, self-esteem, body image and weight-loss. Her groundbreaking “Happy Calories, Happy Exercise” principles and “Rings of Alignment” model are the result of reverse engineering, the process she discovered to heal her own painful obsession with diet, exercise and weight-loss.

Visit Carmela’s Site www.happycalories.org 5

FROM THE EDITOR It didn’t make any sense. I am not a writer, have never published a magazine, and I certainly didn’t know the first thing about how to put one together. Yet it came to me one night very clearly in a voice that awakened me from my sleep “You need to publish a magazine for women over 40 that will address their needs in a different way than other magazines.” My first thought was “yeah right!” but I couldn’t go back to sleep. I kept thinking to myself well “God has brought me this far…perhaps this is the next step.”

I called on some of my Cyber Sisters, those women whose opinion I valued that I had met through the wonders of social media. It was an impressive group of women who had all been through some kind of wellness adversity in their lives and who were now walking in their calling helping other women to discover what their journey is and how to develop the tools to aide them along 4 their journey.

Our first meeting about the magazine was amazing. We spent time getting to know each other.

We listened to amazing stories about each woman’s journey (there were 12 of us on the call) to wellness. We talked about what women would like to see in a wellness magazine for women over 40. After that call I knew that I must publish the magazine. The synergy and excitement felt by my Cyber Sisters regarding a wellness magazine for women over 40 was intoxicating and motivating.

From that moment on the on-line magazine “Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond” was born.

This first pre-launch issue is to give you a taste of what is to come. This is not really a lifestyle

magazine. Rather, it is a magazine about how to live your life in a style that will lead you to wellness for your mind, body, and spirit.

Our feature article “Wellness Woman” is about five women who all had serious adversity in their lives and yet they managed to continue on their journey toward wellness with optimism, strength, and faith. Perhaps you will see bits of you in all of their stories.

Our wonderful writers have shared with you a variety of topics and information about wellness for women over 40 that will not only inform you, but make you stop and think, “how does this apply to my life?”

“Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond” is a magazine that will inform, entertain, and, most importantly, inspire. This is part of my journey and I am so glad you have decided to join me. Welcome! I look forward to traveling with you along our way to total wellness for the mind, body, and spirit.

Lynnis Woods-Mullins is founder and CEO of PraiseWorks Health and Wellness, a faith-based health and wellness organization for women over 40.

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A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. -Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

CREATING MIRACLES THROUGH AWARENESS

HEALING WORDS ….Creating

Miracles through Awareness

All of us are familiar with the magnificent miracles depicted in the Holy Bible and do you know that you can create your own miracles! Miracles are defined as,” an event or action that contradicts known scientific laws – a remarkable event.”

Miracles happen to all of us many times a day when you listen to your “knowingness voice” inside you. The other day I was stopped at a red light. I was first in line to go ahead when the light changed. The light turned green and my “knowingness voice” told me to wait. Just at that moment a car ran the red light – had I not listened to “my inner voice” I would not be writing this article right now. For me that was a miracle!

Miracles do not have to be a big supernatural happening. Miracles can be small happenings at any moment of any day. Any time you change your perception about your world view it is a miracle. When you stop judging people it is a miracle. When you 8

drop your motives and expectations of others it is a miracle! When you make a conscious choice to see things differently a miracle has happened.

The biggest miracle that can happen to you is to become aware of yourself. We are so used to seeing what is wrong in others that we are blind to our own misperceptions about life. A miracle happens when you let go of your interpretation of life so you can see the possibilities that lie ahead of you.

The easiest way to perform your own miracle and become “Aware” of your misperceptions is through a theory I call, ”One finger out (at someone else) three pointing back (at you).” The meaning behind this is – the good you see in others is the good you have inside of you or you would not be able to see it and conversely the things about other people, situations, etc… that really irritate you are God’s way of showing you what you need to work on in yourself.” They may be doing something wrong and why is it bothering you? Do you not have enough to deal with on your own plate? Always step back from a situation and ask yourself,” What do I have to learn from this situation?” Not, “Why are they doing this to me?” “They” are not doing anything to you that you are not CHOOSING to see. Why are you making this choice?

When you change your perception about any situation, person, diagnosis, etc... then YOU have created your own miracle through awareness of the “Self”!

Mary Ellen Ciganovich, is an educator, author, writer and inspirational speaker.

Raised in Atlanta, she was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of six. In 1986, Mary Ellen was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Mary Ellen took her years as a successful educator and a survivor of chronic disease and wrote “Healing Words, Life Lessons to Inspire” which was entered for nomination for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Original Verse by and American Author. Be sure to follow her “Truths of the day” when you friend her on Facebook.

www.askmaryellen.com

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ARE YOU HOLDING ONTO NEGATIVE ENERGY? Energy Work or Energy Healing is a relatively new topic for most people that I encounter during my day. I love teaching how Energy affects the healthy balance of our Body, Mind, and Spirit.

Negative emotions are indicators that there is some negative or false belief about ourselves that is “stuck”.

It is “stuck” in what I call our “energy”.

There is a simple, pain-free process of identifying AND releasing the negative or false beliefs that we carry with us, that create negative patterns in our lives.

My training in Carolyn Cooper’s Simply Healed Method™ has taught me a specific protocol using a kinesiology technique, called muscle testing, to identify where there are weaknesses in the body’s energy that hold destructive false beliefs. This is done over the phone and is done without having to take clients back to re-live any painful experiences. Some of those weaknesses may occur in our own belief-system and some may come from generations before us. Just as our genetic DNA is passed down, energetic emotional DNA in the form of depression, anxiety, money issues, addiction, and abuse are a few examples of generational issues that are passed down.

In only a ONE hour Simply Healed Method™ session the burdens that have been weighing you down seem lighter. Stress seems to melt away. The non-stop selfdestructive chatter will calm down and you will feel at peace with yourself and others. You will feel more energetic and motivated to make changes in your life. The changes will feel “doable”! You will notice a positive change in your relationships. You will have more patience, more empathy, and the ability to forgive will come more easily. You will feel more connected to God and living your life with a purpose. Opportunities will begin to present themselves and you will have the choice of which direction you want to go and be done with wandering around aimlessly in survival mode. You will gain a personal power within yourself that demonstrates confidence, humility, and love for life, yourself, and others.

The ups and downs of life will not knock you down – you will flow through them, trusting that all is well or that it will be well soon. You will be more aware of the energy you send out and what energy others send out.

When you are in a good place, the negative stuff coming at you will lose its negative affect.

The grumpy co-worker, the complaining neighbor, the whining child, the aloof spouse will lose their power over you. The same situations will not trigger you to justify losing your temper, binge eat, sabotage your job or marriage, go into a depression, go back to your addiction, or give you a migraine.

When you let go of all the reasons behind your triggers through the SIMPLE process of a Simply Healed Method™ session, you become FREE to choose. FREE to create a different life - A joyful, successful life full of purpose and positive patterns!

Jen Poulson, B.S. Family Psychology Health & Wellness Energy Coach Helping People Excel in Business, Relationships & Life!

205-835-1968 http://www.jenpoulson.com

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Featured Wellness Woman CHYRELL ENGLISH SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

Chyrell English was at the top of her game. She had a very successful career as an Executive with AT&T and when she was laid off after over 20 years of service she didn’t let that stop her roll. Chyrell kept right on climbing the ladder of success and became an entrepreneur. She created a business that was designed to help start-up businesses, developed a wonderful network of entrepreneurs that were supporting each other and received the great honor of being accepted to attend a special certificate program at UCLA! Everything was going great…until one day she literally couldn’t get out of bed. After many doctor’s visits, tests and diagnosis of MS, Chyrell had to make a decision to leave what she thought God had created just for her and forge on along the journey to discover that God actually had other plans for her life. Chyrell is now walking in her power and claiming her promises as an Assistant Pastor at a large church in Sacramento. She has taken her experience with chronic disease and turned it into a powerful testimony that she shares with other women to encourage, motivate and inspire.

ing who I am meant to be. Getting to my day-to-day activities has helped me focus on my own wellness to the point I realize that I am capable of having a full and vibrant life.

Lynnis: What do you do or say to inspire others along their journey towards wellness?

Chyrell: When you learn to accept change and can be flexible to change your choices, your journey becomes less challenging and more fulfilling. This allows a power filling to be powerful for the journey.

Chyrell English…Surviving…Thriving… and a Wellness Woman Lynnis: What is your definition of a Wellness Woman?

Chyrell: Being confident in oneself to the point there is nothing that gets you so stuck you cannot see the way out. You know that it is a temporary condition. A wellness woman is healthy in her mind, body and spirit with an expectation that God has given her everything she needs for success.

Lynnis: What have you learned along your personal journey towards wellness?

Chyrell: I was diagnosed with M.S. – my illness has taught me that I don’t have to let it stop me from be11

HAPPINESS IS POSSIBLE There are countless reasons why people are not as happy as they can be. In this article I’d like to share what I discovered to be a couple of foundational reasons for unhappiness.

First, let me be clear: The happiness I’m talking about has nothing to do with an event you’ve experienced or a situation you’ve found yourself in or even a relationship with another person. No, the happiness I’m referring to is internal happiness. It’s a feeling of peace in mind, regardless of what you’re outwardly experiencing. Peace coupled with unwavering contentment.

Internal happiness is different from external happiness. Internal happiness is ETERNAL. External happiness comes and goes with time, people, events, and circumstances. And thank God for that. Why? Because when I relied on external circumstances to determine my happiness, my life experience resembled a roller coaster ride…up-down, up-down, up-down! And to make it worse, the frickin’ ride never ended! I’d still be onboard today if I hadn’t become sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. It wasn’t until I couldn’t bear the feeling any longer that I went in search of a new way to live. However, like most thrill rides this new ride came with a WARNING:

“Trying to Control Anyone or Anything Leads to Unhappiness”

“When you choose to give up roller coasters, you MUST give up habitual ways of thinking and behaving. If not, you might as well stay on the coaster.” Okay, I’m willing to try anything to feel better, I thought to myself. “What will I have to give up first?” I meekly asked. “You MUST give up the need to control anyone and anything.”

“Why?” “Trying to Control Anyone or Anything Leads to Unhappiness” “Yikes…who knew?”

“My name is Rebecca L. Norrington and I’m a recovering Controloholic!”

Admittedly, I’ve spent decades determined to control everything and everybody that crossed my path. Controlling external events is like trying to control a tsunami…Mission Impossible! Further, why did I have the need to control anything and everyone outside of me? The answer was simple: I didn’t know I had other options. I didn’t know I could choose another type of behavior. I was only mirroring what I’d witnessed as a child.

I actually thought that if I loved someone, it was my responsibility to tell him or her what to do.

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My mother and father always told me what to do and what to think. I was ignorantly keeping that behavior alive! More importantly, I had no clue that attempting to control anyone or anything other than myself would subtract from my happiness. I was constantly shooting myself in the foot. Besides, I knew what was right. I especially knew what was right for everybody else. Yes, I spent a lot of time thinking and voicing my strong opinion about what others should do. “Listen to me; I know what’s best for you!

Listen to meee!”

It’s funny, though, because with all of the controlling skills I’d mastered, I was miserable. For an example, when my “orders” weren’t followed and my suggestions were ignored, my “subjects” had major problems. Yes, they all had consequences to pay. The consequences ranged from high-pitched tongue-lashings to total exile.

That’ll show them…try living without me!

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“Trying to Control Anything or Anyone Leads to Unhappiness.”

For me, giving up control didn’t happen overnight.

I went out kicking and screaming. In fact, after years of detox I’m still in rehab on an out-patient basis. Admittedly, there are times when I feel a need for a cheap thrill ride; however, it’s not the same. I actually feel uncomfortable wearing my old controlling hat. After years of practice and patience, the old roller coaster has lost its draw and sparkle. What I can say is this—I’ve never been happier!

Rebecca L. Norrington is first and foremost a student of the Universe and ITs Laws. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, along with decades of education and training on topics from Spirituality to Human Behavior. RealitySpirituality can be heard LIVE every Sunday at 7:00 AM (PST). For more information: www.rebeccanorrington.com & www.realityspirituality.com

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I pray that you may prosper in every way and (that your body) may keep well -3 John 1:2 (AMP)

FITNESS FOR THE 40 AND OVER CROWD Most women know why they should exercise after 40—keep disease at bay, reduce stress, increase strength and improve balance and mobility, not to mention helping you feel better all over—it’s the HOW that stumps you…

• How Much • How Long • How Hard • How Often There’s really no one place you can go to get all the answers for your particular situation, especially if you’re over 40. It seems that if you’re past 35, the media seems to feel there’s no hope for you anyway, so why bother?

Oh, how UNTRUE that is!

40’s and above are a great time of life, actually, I feel they’re better than before 40! I say live it to the fullest. This idea is only enhanced if you make it the “fittest” time of your life also.

Maxine Johnson - Fitness Model, National Figure Competitor. Age – Over 50

In this article, you will learn by example. I’ve created a blueprint for you to follow that will help you to be your fittest, over 40 self.

There are 2 Key Strategies that you need to follow to be sure that you are living as fit a life as you possibly can.

1. Move Mindfully Your body is meant to move. You weren’t created to live on a rock, you were created as a creature that could and must walk, run, jump…live! Every movement that you do throughout the day should be accounted for and enhanced. Don’t take for granted all the movement possibilities that can help you burn more calories throughout the day.

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• If you work in a multi-floor building, take the stairs as often as possible • Strive to beat your time each trip to the mailbox 15

• Park far away and walk farther to your destination • Circle the grocery store a couple times before and after shopping • Do Jumping Jacks or Push Ups during the commercials instead of fast-forwarding through them You’ll be surprised as to how many more calories you’ll burn every day just in being mindful of how much you move.

2. Sweat 60 This refers to the government’s recommendation that you get in at least 60 minutes of exercise per day. I know what you’re thinking, “How am I going to squeeze in an hour of exercise everyday??” If you look at it like that, you’ll NEVER do it. It’s not just a “good thing” to do, exercising everyday is a must, especially for women 40 and older.

• It makes you feel better. With all the pressures of over-40 life including: the onset of menopause, kids going off to college, the empty nest, the husband’s midlife crisis and your job—you need something just for you, to help you get through it all.

• It helps you manage your weight. After age 25, for every year that you don’t strength train, you lose up to a pound of muscle. When you lose muscle, you lose your metabolism. When your metabolism isn’t functioning properly, your body stores fat in ALL the places you DON’T want to see it, especially around your belly. Strength training builds toned, sculpted muscle that burns fat and helps your body maintain a balanced metabolism.

• It makes your bones stronger. Osteoporosis could be right around the corner for you. That means weakened bones and a chance of breakage with any little movement or fall. Even if you aren’t at risk for osteoporosis, strength training helps to build strong bones by increas-

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ing bone-building cells that make them stronger and tougher and helps your bones resist breakage. • It reduces your chance of disease. By keeping your body fit and healthy, you are performing a major disease prevention strategy for preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even

cancer. All these diseases and more can be prevented or managed better when regular exercise is a part of your daily routine.

Keep these points alive in your mind when you are trying to motivate yourself to get started or keep going on your exercise program.

Follow this simple formula of what and when to help you craft your unique exercise plan.

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A. Cardio exercise: Running, biking, swimming, walking or really anything that gets your heart pumping and your body sweating.

Perform: 1, 30-minute session 5 times per week B. Strength Training: Weight lifting with dumbbells or machines, weight bearing exercises using weighted balls or stretchy bands or simply performing body-weight exercises using your own body as the weight (think push ups, jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers and sit-ups) Perform: 2-3, 30-minute sessions per week

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C. Core Strength: Exercises that target your upper abs, lower abs, obliques and lower back muscles. Sprinkle these exercises into your workout sessions a couple times per week.

Perform: 2-3 different exercises targeting your core per workout session D. Balance Exercises: Stabilize and protect you from injuries resulting from a fall also helps to prevent falling. Sprinkle these exercises into your workout sessions a couple times per week.

Perform: 1-2 exercises that incorporate balance movements into your workouts. These exercises don’t have to be separate from your workout; you can easily incorporate them into your workouts.

Examples: 1) Stand on one leg while performing bicep curls 17

2) Perform tricep overhead presses while sitting on a stability ball 3) Place 2 cones or objects about 10 feet apart and run back and forth between them, bending and touching the object or cone on each end, each time

Carol Dunlop is a Certified Fitness Trainer, Owner of Optimum Body Sculpting and Founder of Fitness Mattrz www.fitnessmattrz.com

4) Start taking Yoga or Pilates E. Flexibility Moves: Keeps you limber and provides you with the agility to move easily in an emergency Perform: 10-15 minutes of stretching exercises that target the different muscle groups in your body after EACH workout session.

How will you craft your unique fitness plan to fit your lifestyle and stay healthy and fit after 40?

Listen to The Wellness Journey Radio Show here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thewellnessjourneylive

Get The Destress The Mess Journal Here: Destress The Mess Journal

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Featured Wellness Woman

VASAVI KUMAR NEW YORK CITY/INDIA

Vasavi Kumar is proud of her heritage. Her mother and father taught her the value of meditation and prayer, vegetarianism, honoring spiritual practices, and always knowing that she could do whatever she set out to do. It is no surprise after years of trying to manage a bipolar disorder that Vasavi dug deep to find out what worked for her. She battled the stigma that comes with being bipolar and what she discovered was her true passion and love for life.

Vasavi decided to use a blend of Eastern and Western medicine, spiritual practice and the support of friends and her wonderful family in order to “live an epic and breathtaking life”.

Lynnis: What is your definition of a Wellness Woman?

Vasavi: Someone who takes personal responsibility and defines her own wellness. She takes responsibility for taking charge of her own health and how her life looks.

Lynnis: What have you learned along your personal journey towards wellness?

Vasavi: I have learned to take care of myself first. I eat better, exercise and have fu - whatever that means to me. I have learned to accept who I am and who I am not. I am doing what I am good at. I am ok with who I am and how I am. Saying “yes” I am ok. There is no flaw in how and who God created me.

Vasavi: Women have all the answers we need within. I would say trust yourself because the answer is within you. Nothing external can fulfill what you need within. Make a difference within yourself by trusting yourself.

Vasavi Kumar has a Master’s Degree in Special Education, is a Certified Life Coach, Talk Show Host , Inspirational Speaker, and Author of bestselling collaborative book “Succeeding in Spite of Everything”. Vasavi has several coaching programs for both individuals and groups.

Visit Vasavi’s Website www.vasavikumar.com

Lynnis: What do you do or say to inspire others along their journey towards wellness?

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ESSENTIAL OILS & HERBS WOMEN OVER 40 SHOULD USE Nature has provided some wonderful natural solutions for many common ailments. Instead of running out and purchasing drugs, try these alternative non-pharmaceutical remedies that not only cure the symptoms but many times the causation.

• For Nasal and Chest Congestion - Ginger The volatile oils in ginger have long made it a useful herbal remedy for nasal and chest congestion. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over a 1inch piece of peeled, grated ginger; steep for 10 minutes; and strain. Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the water and drink as needed.

• For Memory Improvement and Energy Rosemary - According to some research, catching a whiff of this aromatic herb may increase alertness and improve memory. To stay sharp, try smelling fresh rosemary or inhaling the scent of rosemary essential oil before a test or meeting.

• For Easing Stress - Lavender - To ease stress and prepare for bed, soak in a hot bath

spiked with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Play soothing music while you bathe to unwind further.

• For Boosting Your Immune System - Garlic - Adding raw or lightly cooked garlic and onions to your meals may help keep you healthy this winter. Both foods appear to possess antiviral and antibacterial properties and are believed to boost immunity.

• For Boosting Your Mood - Holy Basil - Research suggests that this Ayurvedic herb, also called holy basil, may help manage levels of the stress hormone cortisol, helping to boost your mood. Look for teas and supplements in health food stores and follow package directions.

• For Reducing Menopausal Symptoms - Black Cohosh - Evidence is mixed, but several studies have found 20

that women who take the herb black cohosh during menopause may experience fewer and milder hot flashes.

• For Cold Feet - Cayenne Pepper - To warm up cold feet, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper into your socks. This folk remedy may help warm your toes by increasing circulation and improving blood flow.

• For Sore Throat - Slippery Elm - To soothe a sore throat try slippery elm, which can help ease pain by coating irritated tissue. Look for slippery elm lozenges and suck on them as needed.

Submitted by: Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond Editorial Staff

• For Indigestion - Peppermint Tea - Ease occasional indigestion by sipping a cup of peppermint tea after your meal. Peppermint improves the flow of bile, which moves food through the digestive tract more quickly. Use peppermint with caution if you have acid reflux; it can make that problem worse.

• For Diarrhea Blackberry Root - For that most unpleasant of stomach upsets, diarrhea, blackberry root tincture can help. This herb contains tannins, substances that have astringent effects on the intestinal lining. Look for the tincture at health food stores or online (try www.herb-pharm.com) and take 1 teaspoon of it in water every 2-4 hours until symptoms subside.

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SMOOTHIES TO FLATTEN YOUR BELLY Sounds strange…smoothies that can flatten your belly? Well it is true. If you want to help burn belly fat add these smoothies to your diet. They all contain the “good” fat, monounsaturated fats. Some of the foods that are monounsaturated fats are avocado, almonds, flax seed, almond butter, dark chocolate, and hazelnut butter, all of which are in the five smoothies featured below. Make these once a day, follow a good healthy diet with lots of dark green vegetables, workout at least 30 minutes a day and melt that belly fat away!!!

Silk Mango 1/4 Mango Cubes 1/4 Cup Avocado 1/2 Cup of Orange Juice 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Hazelnut Smoothie 1/2 cup of almond milk (unsweetened) 1 small banana 2 tbsp of natural hazelnut butter 1 tsp of organic fair trade coca powder 1 tbsp of maple syrup *heart healthy Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth

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Blueberry Flaxseed Smoothie 1 cup of unsweetened frozen blueberries,thawed 1 small banana 1 tbsp of cold-pressed flaxseed oil Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth

Green Almond Smoothie 1 cup Almond Milk 2 tbsp Natural Almond Butter 1 small banana 1 small handful of kale leaves Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth

Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie 1/2 cup Almond Milk 1/4 organic, fair-trade dark chocolate chips or chunks 1 cup of fresh organic raspberries *heart healthy Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth

Submitted by: Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond Editorial Staff 23

NATURAL TIPS FOR YOUR ULTIMATE HEALTH Avoid GMOs for better health

Affected by cancer?

We are hearing more and more about genetically modified food. It might seem controversial, but I'm here to tell you they are unhealthy and should be avoided. The 3 most commonly GM crops are corn, soy and cotton, usually found in processed and packaged foods. So, high fructose corn syrup, cottonseed oil, soy protein...all that fake meat...usually GMO unless labeled organic. GMOs have NOT been properly tested and we don't know long term how they are going to affect us. And at the very least, since we've begun using GM farming practices, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide use has increased by about 5 million tons. That alone is reason to be concerned. My advice...steer clear.

All of our lives have been touched by cancer.

Read my latest article to find out how to prevent it and what to do if you've been diagnosed. http://qualityoflifemagazine.com/Cancer.html

Not tonight honey. Headache?

In my experience, if you wake up with the headache, chances are you were grinding your teeth at night or clenching your jaw. Try massaging your jaw and temples and see if the headache doesn't subside. Or seek out a professional massage. Also look at the stresses in your life and see if maybe some relaxation might be called for.

Stave off osteoporosis Many women are concerned about bone health.

If you're a soda drinker you may have even more to be worried about. Soda is high in phosporus which leeches calcium from the bones.

This is especially bad for young girls when the bone is growing, strengthening and setting up the future of its health. So please, eliminate soda for better bone health.

Pain in the butt?

Sciatica is a common condition. Sometimes it's simply caused by a tight piriformis, the muscle that runs through the gluteal region. Often massage on this area can loosen the muscle and take the pressure off the sciatic nerve. Give it a try.

Calcium, where's my magnesium?

We are calcium happy in this society. And I'm not saying we don't need it. But I think magnesium is more important and keep a giant bottle of it in the house. It's helpful for muscle spasms, headaches, menstrual and muscle cramps, mood, sleep and PMS? And we need it for the calcium to be absorbed. Who can ask for anything more?

But it was supposed to help...

We are a society that relies heavily on prescription drugs and they can be very beneficial in many circumstances. But they can also cause myriad side effects. These new illnesses caused by the treatment of the first illness is known as iatrogenic disease. Examine the prescriptions that you take and know what side effects might be caused by them. And if a new condition develops as a result of taking a prescription, make sure you tell your doctor. I would never advise anyone to stop taking a prescription, but I do advise you to know your body

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and talk to your physician if either the drug is not effective or if it's causing further problems.

before you go to bed and wake up feeling not quite so bad. Don't forget plenty of water!

Speak your mind

Got milk? Think again

The last radio interview I did talked about the benefits of massage, but what we ended up speaking about was being clear in your communication with the therapist. They should always listen to your instruction, especially regarding pressure. If something is uncomfortable or doesn't feel right to you, please, please, please, tell your therapist!!!!

I usually recommend that my clients cut out dairy, specifically milk. It is loaded full of hormones and antibiotics and is not as nutritious after being processed. If you need calcium and other minerals they can be gotten through increased consumption of veggies like spinach. I see many children suffering from chronic ear infections. Try taking them off cow's milk to see if it clears up.

Breath Free The seasons are about to change and the weather, in most parts of the country is about to turn cold. It's a time that the sinuses might need some extra help. Try washing out your nasal passages with a neti pot. The neti pot looks like a miniature teapot and uses saline solution to clean and soothe and the nose. Acupuncture is a great modality for preparing for the change of seasons. Go now, to start preparing for fall and winter weather changes. And have a healthy day!

Feel like a cat I find that when my body is feeling achy, often times it's just trying to get rid of toxins. Use a dry brush before your shower (brush the limbs towards the heart) and feel like a kitten. Use a natural salt or sugar scrub in the shower to top off the cleansing experience. Luxurious AND healthy!

Had a bit too much?

If you found that you overindulged in either food or drink, try taking the homeopathic Nux Vomica.

I found it great for that over-do-it feeling. Take it

Trouble Sleeping?

Having trouble catching those zzz's? Try taking L-Tryptophan an essential amino acid that we don't always get enough of in our food. Always follow the instructions on the label and don't take if you are on SSRI's for depression. Sweet dreams!

Dr Kathy Gruver, PhD, LMT, RM, NHC is the award winning Author of “Alternative Medicine Cabinet” & the host of a Television show based upon the book. She has a thriving practice in Santa Barbara, California and is a sought after speaker and expert in the field of holistic health and integrative medicine.

Visit Kathy’s Website at http://www.kathygruver.com/

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I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me. -Philippians 3:13-14 (TNIV)

WHOSE TEAM ARE YOU ON? Lately, I’ve been playing a spiritual game. I call it Universe versus Man (UvM). It’s a game I created to help me remain on the happiness track when I’m challenged by this thing we call life. To play, all you have to do is ask yourself one simple question. Who created it?

There’s a significant difference between what the Universe creates and what Man creates. When you align yourself with what the Universe creates, you immediately feel peace of mind. When you align yourself with what Man creates, you’re screwed.

What’s the difference between Universal creations and Man-made creations? I say you instinctually know the answer if you close your eyes, drop your shoulders, relax and breathe through the moment.

Pop Quiz: Answer the questions below Yes or No -Do you think the Universe cares about how you look?

-Do you think the Universe cares about how much money you make?

-Do you think the Universe cares about how much you weigh or how old you are or your educational level?

-Do you think the Universe cares about your title?

-This is a harder question. Do you think the Universe judges? Let’s take a closer look at whether or not this is true.

The Pope and the Serial Killer Both men enter a greenhouse of beautiful garden flowers. The scent of flowers is intoxicating. There are tulips, daisies, carnations, orchids, and daffodils already planted and blooming. The only thing missing in our imaginary greenhouse are roses. Both men plant a single bush of red roses side by side at the same time. Both men fertilize and water their roses every week at the same time.

Can you tell me which rose bush is going to bloom?

The Universe does not make a judgment as to whose roses are going to bloom. The sun shines on both sets of rose bushes. Both bushes bloom and produce beautiful award-winning red roses. What’s my point? We were not born with the “skill” to judge. Judging is a man-made behavior. (UvM) Let’s go back to the questions.

-Do you think the Universe cares about how you look?

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-Do you think the Universe cares about how much money you make?

-Do you think the Universe cares about how much you weigh or how old you are or your educational level?

-Do you think the Universe cares about your title?

If you’ve attended “Spirituality 101,” you know the answer to all of the above questions is an emphatic NO! The Universe doesn’t even recognize the above concepts and expectations. But man does. That’s why I choose to align with concepts of the Universe and the Universe alone.

I was brainwashed to think that if I didn’t live up to man-made expectations, I wasn’t successful.

Successful by whose standards, and more importantly, who defines success? For an example: If I wasn’t married, there was something wrong. If I was married and didn’t have any children, there was something wrong. When you align with team M.A.N., there’ll never be a shortage of judgments to choose from. All judgments are man-made; and when you judge, you are choosing to sub-

tract from your happiness! Why would I want to indulge in a behavior that subtracts from my happiness? That’s CrAzY! When I developed the new habit of recognizing the differences between Man-consciousness and Universal-consciousness, it became really easy for me to choose the team I want to play for.

The Universe LOVES regardless of what you do and the Universe LOVES regardless of what you don’t do. During the last couple of years, I’ve applied this philosophy to everyone in my life, from family and friends to co-workers. I’m thrilled to share this: ALL of my relationships have improved. I love, regardless of what they do or say; and I love regardless of what they don’t do or say.

Because…

-When you know you are eternal, you will develop unwavering patience.

-When you know everything is in order, you will develop trust.

-When you know everything that happens “to” you has an ultimate purpose for your betterment, you will develop wisdom.

Click Here To Schedule a Complimentary Coaching Session with Lynnis of PraiseWorks

(Continued next page...)

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-When you know there is nothing you have to do…there is only what you are inspired to do…you will develop peace.

-When you know who you really are, you will always be happy. -rln-

Go Team Universe!

Cost of Admission: Wanting to be Happy!

Rebecca L. Norrington is first and foremost a student of the Universe and Its Laws. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, along with decades of education and training on topics from Spirituality to Human Behavior. Rebecca is the host of Reality Spirituality Radio.

You can listen to her show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00 AM (PST).

www.rebeccanorrington.com & www.realityspirituality.com

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thewellnessjourneylive

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Featured Wellness Woman

MONIQUE STONER ATLANTA, GEORGIA

At the age of 16, Monique Stoner was a young mother, unemployed and almost homeless. At her wits’ end, Monique decided that she would not allow her circumstances to define who she was. Monique learned to tap into her personal power and strengthen her faith and trust in God. While it has not always been easy, Monique has made it through and has managed not just to survive but to THRIVE. Monique Stoner…an inspiration and a Wellness Woman.

Lynnis: What is your definition of a Wellness Woman?

Monique: Wellness is a state of optimal wellbeing where a woman is focused on maximizing her full potential. Wellness is a dynamic process of change and growth in which a woman makes deliberate CHOICES to enhance the quality of her life. It’s also a life-long journey of learning how to thrive by enhancing yourself physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

opportunity, don’t begrudge them. Use them as stepping stones of elevation to grow and be successful through whatever challenges that comes. They come to increase your knowledge and skill set.

Lynnis: What do you do or say to inspire others along their journey towards wellness?

Monique Stoner is a MASTER STRATEGIST with 24 years of experience as a business leader. In addition to delivering DYNAMIC speaking and leadership development programs, she is an EXPERT in coaching and training mid-sized and small business owners through motivational, interactive empowerment events and one-on-one consultation. Monique has a Master’s in Business and Psychology. She has two grown sons and resides in Atlanta.

Monique: I encourage others to use every life experience or circumstance as a learning

Visit Monique’s website www.moniquestoner.com

Lynnis: What have you learned along your personal journey towards wellness?

Monique: Personal Power: I have learned that my inner strength and confidence has given me personal power. It has allowed me to accomplish goals for myself.

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www.geniejames.com

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DO YOU HAVE AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD? In our efforts to achieve and maintain an “ideal” body weight (however that’s defined), an issue that frequently surfaces is “emotional” eating.

And quite frankly, I believe it’s a lot of hogwash.

That’s not to say that the pain we suffer as a result of our dysfunctional relationships with food is not real. That pain is very, very real. However, this pop psychology, pop culture notion of “emotional eating” only serves to confuse and complicate the issue.

In an effort to build my case, I searched the Internet for a definition of “emotional eating.”

Out of the countless search results of sites claiming to help us with emotional eating, there wasn’t a single search result dedicated to a definition. Even the Wikipedia search result redirected me to the entry on “compulsive overeating.”

Thus, the first argument in my case is already made. We don’t need a definition of “emotional eating” because we all already think we know what it means. We think emotional eating is eating for reasons other than physical hunger. And…we think it’s “bad.”

Why do we believe emotional eating is bad? For the most part, we believe emotional eating is bad because we believe that our bodies are a

balance sheet – a sum total of calories consumed and burned. And if we consume calories because we are sad or angry or lonely or bored, we will impact that balance sheet in a negative way. (Heck we try hard enough to maintain that balance sheet simply when eating for physical hunger!)

Well, the first flaw of that argument is the idea that our bodies are a balance sheet. This cultural idea – reinforced by constant marketing and media attention – that we can (and should) control the size and shape of our bodies by manipulating that delicate balance of calories in/ exercise out is a faulty premise. Yes, we are responsible for what we eat. And yes, we are responsible for how we choose to move our bodies.

But what we choose to eat and how we choose to move our bodies does not, by definition, result in a specific size or shape. (If that were true, a given diet and/or exercise program would work the same for everyone.)

So let’s ditch that faulty premise. Let’s ditch the idea that our bodies are a sum total of calories consumed and burned. Now, if we are no longer trying to balance a caloric equation, why would “emotional” eating be bad? What’s wrong with eating to feel better? Did you notice my definition? My definition of “emotional eating” isn’t eating for reasons other than physical hunger.

My definition of emotional eating is eating to feel better. And in that context, all eating is emo32

tional eating. Even eating for physical hunger is “emotional” eating because being hungry doesn’t feel very good! In fact, being hungry hurts. Therefore, “emotional eating” is simply “eating.”

So we don’t need to draw the distinction between eating for physical hunger and eating for emotional reasons. The distinction that needs to be drawn is the distinction between eating to feel better and eating to not feel bad.

Those two scenarios might sound the same, but they are vastly different. And the distinction is not between better and bad – it’s between feeling and not feeling. Eating to feel better is great! Eating to not feel bad will never work because we can never “not feel.” From this perspective, virtually all relationships with food are healed.

Most of the time, when we are struggling with “emotional eating,” what we are really struggling with is this notion that we are a balance sheet.

We want to eat something that tastes good, but deny ourselves the pleasure because it isn’t “good for us” because it will “make us fat.” Or if we do eat that tasty tidbit, we feel guilty and fearful of the caloric consequences. Some of us even get into cycles of a rebellious binge followed by a starvation penance – believing that we must “pay a price” to eat. We get angry at our families and our friends for having food be the centerpiece of celebration. Why must society tempt us like that? Why make food part of a celebration? Don’t they know we can only eat for physical hunger, lest we upset the balance of that caloric equation?

So when we look at eating from the perspective of feeling better, all of this becomes a non-issue.

Even when we have traditionally used food (or starvation) to “cope,” much of the dysfunction is healed when we come from the perspective of

feeling better. If we’re feeling down and we reach for a cookie to feel better, that’s great! And as soon as the cookie(s) no longer helps us feel better, we stop. Not because of some external force telling us that “we shouldn’t eat that,” but because continuing to eat the cookie(s) no longer feels good.

Again, it’s not about this idea of using food as a “coping” device. It’s about really understanding what “coping” is! Attempts to feel better are very healthy and very sane! Attempts to not feel bad – as heroic or dysfunctional as they might be – will never work because we can never “not feel.”

So yes, this takes practice. It takes practice to get and stay off our cultural caloric balance sheet. And it takes practice being fully conscious and fully present and fully connected to our bodies in each and every moment. And when we practice eating to feel better, we free ourselves from the bondage and myth of “emotional eating.”

With a worldwide audience representing more than 35 countries, Carmela Ramaglia is quickly becoming a leading authority in clarifying and healing the issues surrounding diet, exercise, self-esteem and weight-loss. Size double zero to double XL, Carmela has lived and experienced it all. Carmela is the author of Happy Calories Don’t Count, the New Body Mind Makeover, and Your Most Magnificent You. Carmela’s clients transform their relationships with food, exercise, and their bodies into life-giving experiences with results that last. Get your complimentary New Body Mind Makeover Quick Start Program by visiting www.happycaloriesdontcount.com.

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YOUR LIFE PURPOSE MAKES NAVIGATING OUR LIFE’S MILESTONES EASY - PART 1 “Your life purpose is always being expressed, whether you are conscious of it or not. We are either being or becoming.” ~ Suzanne Strisower - author Over 500 Million People Each Month are Searching for Their Purpose in Life This startling statistic comes from Google and shows how every person is searching for ways to successfully navigate their lives for fulfillment and success. These common things each person addresses as we age are our mindset and how we can make a difference in the ultimate quality of our lives.

The Path of Self- Discovery Starts With a Purpose In a Gesture of Balance, Tarthang Tulku says “Once you go through a true process of self- discovery, nNo one can take away your self-confidence; the inspiration comes from within, and we know it without needing to be told.” With each milestone, we have the opportunity to bring purpose, joy, and fulfillment consciously into our lives.

Understanding The Definition of “Life Purpose” – Iit’s Simple Your life purpose will help you start this process off on the right foot. My definition of life purpose is “the aim or intention of the energy you put forth.” I call it your “Personal WHY™” – it’s the underlying reason you do the things you do. You can use WHY to make sure that you are expressing your true purpose in life. Each of us has a life purpose and we just need to re-evaluate our lives through the lens of purpose when it’s time to make a change.

The Six Areas Impacted by Your Purpose in Life and Who You Are There are six major areas that are impacted by your life purpose: Optimal Physical Health, Financial Wealth, Emotional Well- Being, Spiritual Awareness, Relationship Harmony, and Professionally on Purpose. If you explore your purpose through each of these lenses you can make sure that your life is in alignment with what you came here to do or you can correct in course and reinvent yourself. A telltale sign that a reinvention is necessary is when you are successful, but not fulfilled – which means that whatever you are doing is not either fulfilling your life purpose or the expression;, your current work is not a good fit for who you are now.

5 Steps to Finding Your Unique Life Purpose In each issue of The Wellness Journey Online Magazine, I will be sharing one of these “7 Universal Life Purpose Elements™” and giving you tips and tools to prosper living consciously. The journey to truly know your purpose in life is a simple and straightforward, five- step process.

1.

Discover your 7 Universal Life Purpose Elements – this is your unique Natal, Developmental, Psychological, Professional, Spiritual, Mystical, and Transitional aspects of your purpose – it’s like the DNA of your life. Remember that your purpose is operating through each of these elements in your life as well as expressing through every area in your life.

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2.

Create Your Life Purpose Statement – this is a fantastic process which lets you take a stand about what you came here to do with your life. It can be very practical or very divinely inspired or a combination of both. An example of possible life purpose statements is “I am a healer whose purpose is to ____________” or it can be more elaborate like mine, which is to “connect humanity with the Divine in practical ways so that their conscious vibration will fulfill them and enrich the planet.”

What is yours? It will be beautiful/ visionary and practical, too…

You’ll know when you have captured it because you will feel a certain sense of awe and will be inspired by your own life’s purpose.

3.

Do Your Life Purpose Retrospective – as we age every person has the opportunity to look back and use their hindsight to validate their life purpose expression through their life experiences. You will know that you have the correct “Life Purpose Statement” when you can look back at everything that you have done to date and see it reflected in your statement. You will know you have truly found your purpose in life.

4.

Ask for Divine Guidance – the reason for this step is that, once you know your purpose, there may be a special divine mission or assignment that you are here to fulfill, so I always encourage clients to ask again to know they are doing their highest and best work. There might be some amazing new plan that was beyond your wildest dreams that will be revealed to you. You will receive this information through your dreams, prayers, meditations, or however you connect to your Higher Power or God.

ing when you are expressing your true purpose, “Everyone has a life purpose…a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate of all goals.” Start this remarkable journey today to make these decades be the best years of your life!

Life Purpose Expert and Career Coach Suzanne Strisower is committed to helping people discover their purpose in life so that each person can live their best life. She has authored three books, including a life purpose workbook, 111 Inspirational Life Purpose Quotes and Exercises to Find Your Purpose in Life and a Life Purpose “Tweet” book. She is being featured in an upcoming segment of the National Geographic hit reality television show “Doomsday Preppers,” where she shows the world how to “leave survival behind and prosper by living consciously.”

Visit her websites www.AwakenToYourLifePurpose.com and sign up for her free guidebook and www.YourNextStepCoach.com for a mini e-course on finding your life purpose. © 2013 Suzanne Strisower, Life Purpose Expert & Certified Career Coach

5.

Live Your Life on Purpose! – Follow your guidance and insights that you receive in the previous four steps to guarantee that you will be both successful and fulfilled.

Deepak Chopra in his book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, has three great criteria for know-

Visit http://www.kat-smith.com 35

Visit Website: www.myagla.com/lashondraelliott/

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Featured Wellness Woman SUSAN TOLLES AUSTIN,TEXAS

Susan Tolles looked around one day and realized her life had changed.

Her children were grown up, living their own lives. Her days were no longer full of meeting the many needs of her family. Susan was officially an empty nester and in a mid-life transition. But instead of feeding into her fears and getting frustrated, Susan stepped outside of her comfort zone and decided to do something to change her life for the better. She took the sum total of all her experiences as an accountant, bank officer, wedding organizer, school board president, and ministry leader and created something wonderful to help other women who are going through the same kind of mid-life transition.

Susan is now pursuing her passion and moving through her journey with grace and success.

Susan Tolles….Powerful…Driven… and a Wellness Woman Lynnis: What is your definition of a Wellness Woman?

Susan: A woman who has a combination of a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Meaning she takes care of herself by taking care of her spirit, only allowing those things that speak life into her atmosphere; she is confident in that she knows who she is and loves herself through a self-awareness; and she

also allows herself to be well in her body by living a lifestyle of wellness through body fitness and eating properly.

Lynnis: What have you learned along your personal journey towards wellness?

Susan: I have learned how to listen to God speak. He speaks all the time. I have learned how to sit and listen. There are so many downloads God gives. I sit with a journal and just let what comes to mind rest on paper. I refer to my journal and often when I need it God reminds me of something I wrote in my journal that is relevant. I have learned to listen.

Lynnis: What do you do or say to inspire others along their journey towards wellness?

Susan: I try to encourage everyone to please God first. We don’t have to change the world. All we have to do is to listen to God speaking. God gives us a life’s purpose to have; it is up to us to set goals to live out our individual purpose.

Susan Tolles is the founder of Flourish After 50, an on-line magazine for women 50 and over. She is also creator of the Powerful Me Coaching Program , an individual and group coaching program that leads women to rediscover their core essence and passions for more fulfilled lives.

Visit her website www.susantolles.com

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A “FEEL GOOD” SPACE DESIGN EXPERIENCE A few years ago, I worked on a new home for a very special client. This was one of my first projects as a designer. Looking back now, it was my first project where it entailed me creating a feel good space which I did not know it at the time. First, I decluttered her entire home and categorized her belongings as to whether they should stay or go. I carefully worked with her to determine the significance of various items in which the client moved in with. I categorized her belongings and placed aside those items that would remain verses which ones would go.

Then I worked with the client to determine what colors were considered peaceful to her. The client stated that she liked earth tone colors. Earth tone colors are wonderful colors to place After reflecting on this in the home because these are the colors we see most often in our natural enviproject, I just realized ronment. The colors brown and a neutral color in the taupe family were what a gift I had to create chosen. So I decorated the living and dining room of the town-home with a something special. I created something that theme of a tropical inspired oasis. Brown is considered a stabilizing and grounding color as it is used as a color to accent her dining room, which conmade someone’s life nected to her living room. The much more peaceful... neutral taupe color was used to complete the space.

In the living room, I worked with the client’s own furnishings and accented existing furniture pieces with naturally inspired bamboo pillows and a natural jute rug, a tropical inspired accent lamp, chosen based on the client’s love for travel to tropical locales, candles for her coffee table and decorated with the client’s own personal artwork and memorabilia. For the window treatment, rather than to purchase off the shelf draperies or have custom window treatments done, I accented the client’s sliding glass door with sheer brown and beige colored fabric draped round it to frame it. This was done because the client loved the outdoor space in her backyard and wanted that feeling to come into the interior.

Plants and nature is always a calming effect in both work and living spaces. Because of the client’s big sliding glass door, which opened into a personal patio oasis of nature including plants and trees, I took advantage of the natural environment in her backyard by placing the clients plants around the living area to take advantage of the light coming in from the sliding glass door. Lastly, to create a calming and peaceful space, I added a floor-mounted water fountain. The sounds of the water fountain and the feel of it created a calming, yet peaceful space the client was after.

During the process the client stated: “I absolutely love the way the place is coming together. My investment club thinks my home is awesome. They describe it as warm, intimate, and peaceful. Working with you has been one of the best 38

decisions I have ever made.” Homeowner, Washington, DC. After reflecting on this project, I just realized what a gift I had to create something special. I created something that made someone’s life much more peaceful.

Sherry Burton Ways is the CEO and Principal Designer of Kreative Ways & Solutions, LLC. Sherry Burton Ways, formerly of Design Scheme Interiors, LLC, is the principal interior designer and inspiration of Kreative Ways & Solutions. She is the author of “Feel Good Spaces: A Guide to Decorating Your Home for the Body, Mind, and Spirit.”

GO: www.myagla.com/lashondraelliott/ 39

DRINK, WINE AND GIGGLE

SEVEN WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BOUNCEBACKABILITY If someone could test your bouncebackability with a “crisisometer” that measures how you would respond to a life crisis, how do you think you would score? Do you have steely resilience or do you think you might crumble under pressure?

Build resilience before you face a real crisis with these seven strength-training exercises that work the bouncebackability core muscles of the mind, body, soul, and funny bone (let’s pretend the funny bone is a muscle).

1. Move your body and rest your body Think of your body as your fortress. If your fortress is in a state of disrepair due to lack of exercise or inadequate sleep you won’t be able to battle adversity from a position of strength. Make becoming the strongest version of yourself a top priority in your resilience training.

2. Do nothing Whereas you create resilience in your body through daily activity, you create resilience in your mind by giving it some time off from todo list management. Sitting in silence, either in prayer or in quiet contemplation with a journal, will enable you to connect with your soul’s compass so that you can navigate more easily through life’s challenges.

3. Flex your magnus gratitudinus muscle The muscle that touches the soul of the bouncebackability core is the magnus gratitudinus, the muscle of thankfulness. Count your blessings several times each day, especially when an opportunity appears to you disguised as a problem.

4. Laugh until it stops hurting

www.askmaryellen.com

As Mel Brooks put it, “Humor is just another defense against the universe.” Laughter can dull pain. In Norman Cousin's memoir Anatomy of an Illness he details how a steady diet of comedies eased the excruciating spinal pain of his arthritis and enabled 40

him to have a couple of hours of pain-free sleep.

Keep laughing—especially at yourself when you mess up—and you will become more resilient.

Laughter is 30 times more frequent in social than in solitary situations, which brings us to our next resilience exercise...

5. Lift someone’s spirits Lifting someone else’s spirits—the lower the spirit, the greater the resilience boost—is an act of kindness we give ourselves. Think of acts of kindness as deposits in your resilience bank account. When you help others you strengthen your bouncebackability and you create potential partners in resilience who can uplift you when you face adversity.

are better than Prozac and have fewer side effects.

As you can see from the Drink Wine and Giggle Gals’ favorite bouncebackability training exercises, we believe resilience is not a trait you are born with. We believe resilience training is a lifetime wellness project involving mind, body, and spirit and you can take daily action to strengthen your bouncebackability.

Do you have a favorite bouncebackability exercise (with or without a stability ball) that you’d like to share?

The Drink Wine and Giggle Gals huddle together against an adverse February chill

6. Leap into discomfort Doing what comes unnaturally is the cornerstone of resilience training. If you take daily leaps of faith where you test your courage and do something you’ve never done before, facing adversity will seem like just another jump rather than a skydive.

7. Reach out to a friend It may require some flexibility in your schedule, but reaching out to connect with a friend is a critical part of your resilience training. Research has shown that not having a support network will make you more likely to experience a stressful medical event and will make recovery more difficult. A study of over 2,400 patients revealed that help from friends is extremely important to women who have suffered a heart attack.

Women with lots of support had less chest pain, a better quality of life and fewer symptoms of depression than those with less support. Friends

By Lynne Everatt, Deb Mangolt and Julie Smethurst aka “The Drink Wine and Giggle Gals” www.drinkwineandgiggle.com

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THE DREAM QUEEN “A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read.” ~The Talmud Welcome to The Wellness Journey Online Magazine. I am Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos - your Dream Queen. My Life Purpose is to help you Dream Your Life to Wellness by: • Using 6 Easy Steps to Remember Your Dreams • Identifying the 7 Categories of Dreams In each publication we will explore how to find the golden messages and pearls of wisdom in the secret world of sleep. Each additional publication will take you deeper and deeper into the dream realm as we interpret your best dreams and worst nightmares using the six steps to remember your dreams and the seven categories of dreams. This will help you become proficient at dream journaling, dream tracking from your journals, and understanding your own dream language to live a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life. Here are the two techniques we will use to help you understand your dreams: 6 Easy Steps to Remember Your Dreams • Verbally voice an intention to remember dreams before you sleep.

• Keep a notebook and pencil beside your bed to write down your dreams.

• Describe your feelings when you first awaken.

• If you think about a deceased family member when you awaken, write down their name.

• Give your dream a title, even if it’s The Dream I Don’t Remember, then Categorize it.

• Trust but validate. Validation will present itself and help you remember a dream.

7 Categories of Dreams that Often Overlap: • Daydreams- you are awake but not focused on a task • Epic- entertaining storybook you pick up and continue nightly while asleep • Lucid-you know you are dreaming and can control the outcome • Nightmares-who can forget that information!

• Recurring-because you didn’t “get it” the first time or solve the problem 42

• Healing-emotional or physical information • Prophetic-comes true and can be validated by scientific tests or life events I survived three breast cancers.

My female intuition and inner guidance imparted through dreams and prayers encouraged me to self-advocate a course of cancer testing, treatment, and healing, often against hospital policy and the advice of my doctors. My dreams were the answers to my prayers. I followed my dreams and survived cancer and the treatments. That is as lucky as winning the lottery three times in a row. Luck had little to do with it. Divine intervention did. This inner guidance through dreams and prayers showed that science goes so far and then comes God. I always worked with my doctors, but never forgot to self-advocate and make the final decisions concerning my life.

Dream therapy was part of my Integrative Medicine, which combined modern scientific treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation with complementary therapies such as dream, meditation, and prayer. We are far more than id, ego, and super ego. We are spirit beings inhabiting a physical body that is experiencing life. Dreams are doorways that allow our ET (Eternal Teacher within) to phone home to heaven for Divine Guidance. What is really amazing is that someone on the other side always answers the phone. The statement, “Ask and you will receive” are more than words of comfort. They are words of truth. When we are in crisis, the doorway to dreams become very active. We all have

Guardian Angels. We are their job and they take that job seriously.

Connecting to and treating our spirit through dreams can transform our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives. People living with chronic or life-threatening illness can use their dreams in concert with medical treatment and meditation to alleviate stress; reduce pain, anxiety, and other physical and emotional symptoms; and enhance their quality of life.

My column will teach and show you how to use your dreams to heal yourself and your doctors, especially during current times of extreme change in the medical industry, so you can live a happier, healthier, more productive and spiritually-fulfilled life.

Send me your dreams and nightmares so we can work together to find the blessings, messages, and inner-guidance hidden deep within them.

And join me again next time as we look in-depth at the six ways to remember the seven categories of dreams.

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Today we are going to access and awaken the healing power of Lucid Dreams. When you are having a lucid dream you know that you are dreaming. The astonishing thing about lucid dreams is that you have the power to change the dream’s ending and change your life for the better, forever. This can not only save you years of grief, but also years of therapy. The dream below is from a client.

(This dream is from a client.)

Dear Dream Queen, I often wake up angry and crying after having a frequent nightmare that has plagued me for more than ten years. It is so upsetting that my anger lasts all day. In the dream, I am sitting on my living room couch with my husband watching TV when suddenly there is a loud knock at the door. “Don’t answer it!” I yell to my husband because I know who is at the door and that this is my nightmare again. But he opens the door and my dead father walks into the room, looks at me and says, “Tammy, I love you.” This upsets me so badly that I wake up screaming because my father and I had a very bad relationship while he was alive. We did not speak to each other during his last years of life. What does this nightmare mean and how can I make it stop? I am afraid to go to sleep. "

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--Tammy

Dear Tammy, I am sorry you are in such distress. The good news is your nightmare is a blessing in disguise!

This dream is a combination healing, recurrent, lucid nightmare with the potential to heal you emotionally and change your life for the better- forever! Your golden secret message is profound.

I have underlined the important words in your dream to help you discover your message. Your living room is where you currently live in your Inner-House, which is also the middle room or common ground between other rooms or realms.

You are watching detached re-run life on TV. A knock on the door is permission to enter your “living room” or life. Your husband, your inner male guide, opens the door between the awake and dream world or the living and the dead. Your dead father (your past life) walks into your current life (living room) and reawakens suppressed negative emotions and tells you he loves you. I believe that is truly your deceased father who has been given permission to return to make amends in an effort to release you from your negative emotions so you can move forward in life. He has evolved “on the other side” and realizes that the grief he left you with is holding you back in life.

The fact that you are aware of the nightmare makes it prophetic. The wonderful thing about prophetic dreams is that we can change their endings and change our lives forever.

The next time you have this dream stand up, greet your dad, and tell him you love him, too. He obviously cares about you or he would not be returning to you in your sleep. Two weeks later Tammy called back and said she had followed my suggestion and had even hugged her father in her dream. She said she experienced a profound sense of relief and has never had the nightmare again. Tammy’s golden message was, “Love heals all.”

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The Dream Queen/Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is a three- time breast cancer survivor who penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Intuitive Aspects of Healing. She is represented by Steve Allen Media, a phone counselor for R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, Q&A cancer columnist for CapeWomenOnlineMagazine, an inspirational speaker, mentor, cancer volunteer, Living Well Talk Radio Show Host, OM Time Magazine & Patheos Blogger, Follow her on social media from www.survivingcancerland.com & www.AccessYourInnerGuide.com

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www.theintentionallifestyle.com

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POWERFUL ME: LIVING WITH GREATER MEANING AS A MAGNIFICENT WOMAN OF GOD That title conjures up images of CEOs, political leaders, wealthy philanthropists, and celebrities. We think of those who have a broad global impact through corporate leadership, medicine, entertainment, and legislative changes as the truly “powerful women” of today. But just as those women have an important role to play in the world with their “power,” God has empowered you with a unique set of gifts and skills to be used to make a difference in the lives of others.

Living a life that is laser-focused on what God wants you to do gives you the power you need to change lives—from one to one million—and to create a rich legacy that honors Him. As a woman in midlife, you have no doubt influenced many lives as you have tried to be “manager of the universe” all these years. From your children to your community, you have been busy taking care of others so that they might be healthy, happy, and well-nourished.

But then you reach midlife and you begin desiring something more—you want a “do over!” Life after 40 may include the empty nest, career burnout, or finding yourself “suddenly single” after a marriage that went flat. You feel empty, alone, and powerless, wanting to live with purpose as you make a positive impact in the world.

How do you know with certainty what that purpose is? How do you find the joy that He wants you to experience by following His plan for your life if you aren’t even sure what that plan is?

God has given each of us unique gifts to serve Him. A paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 12 says

“Each person is given something to do that shows who God is…The variety is wonderful!”

Yes, when God created you, He very carefully selected just the right blend of spiritual gifts, skills, personality traits and physical attributes for the role He has planned for you.

Ephesians 4:10 says “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” ESV I especially like the translation found in The Message: “He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”

Discovering your Divine Life Purpose brings an excitement and passion to your life that is abundant and fulfilling. Living on purpose helps you: 1.

Know with clarity where God wants you to go as you live in tune with the purpose He has created you to fulfill; 2.

Set goals for yourself that make you stretch and grow, casting aside your own selfimposed limitations because you know God has things planned for you that are beyond your wildest dreams; 3.

Live with confidence, knowing that He has equipped you to do specific things (not every thing!) and He will take care of you, even when you stray from the path He has laid out for you.

Living in alignment with your Divine Life Purpose means celebrating who you are as God created you, and then to be loud and proud about it! 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “God doesn’t want 46

us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” You are God’s creation! And it is your responsibility to share yourself with the world.

One of my favorite quotes is from Marianne Williamson, who said:

of life you are in. I am looking forward to our journey together towards a healthy mind, body, and spirit as we become the magnificent Powerful Women God created us to be!

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

SUSAN TOLLES is a Master in Midlife Reinventions, and as Founder of Flourish Over 50, a powerful role model who “walks her talk!”

As a professional speaker, Certified Dream Coach®, author, and internationally recognized expert for women over 50, she is dedicated to inspiring and equipping women of all ages with the confidence and tools to acknowledge their unique gifts, discover their life purpose, dare to realize their passions, and create a future they never dreamed possible. www.flourishover50.com

Spend some time with God as you seek His divine purpose for your life. Ask yourself—and God—a few questions, and listen for the answers.

• What are my unique gifts and skills? What do others tell me I am really good at doing?

• What are the things that bring me joy? What “lights my fire?”

•

What action words to I most identify with?

• How can I serve others and honor God using what He generously created in me?

You are a Powerful Woman! Don’t limit God’s plan by the size of your own vision. He has so much planned for you! He will equip you to reach farther and accomplish more than you ever imagined IF YOU WILL LET HIM! In the coming issues, we will explore what it means to be powerful in God, to have a healthy mind and spirit that provides clarity, direction, and passion in every day, no matter what stage 47

WELLNESS WOMAN AFFIRMATIONS Affirmations are powerful. They help us to visualize, they fill you with positive expectation, they give you something to reach for and THEY WORK. Tips on how to use Affirmations: • Write them down on a sticky note, on a card, in your journal, a place where you can refer to them every day.

• Say them out loud with conviction throughout the day , every day.

• Share with others what your affirmation is for the day.

• Include your affirmation in your prayers, thanking God that the affirmation is already done.

• Be consistent - do it every day to get the full benefit of the affirmation exercises.

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General Affirmations:

I am meeting my health and fitness goals every day.

I know I’m in good health.

I am never too tired to move my body in order to stay fit.

I am a good communicator.

I am a good listener.

I have a healthy and fit lifestyle.

I deserve to be loved and I get it in abundance.

I nourish my body with food that is nutritious and healthy.

I forgive those who need to be forgiven because they aren’t what I wanted them to be.

I approach my fitness plan with enthusiasm and great expectation.

I radiate love and I open my heart to receive it.

I am able to go above and beyond my fitness goals.

I believe all that happens in my life is for my greatest joy and highest good.

I deserve to take care of my body.

There are no failures and I learn from everything I do.

I open myself and my heart to harmony, joy and beauty of this universe and I enjoy it.

Affirmations for Stress: I am living a life that is free of stress.

I am living a life that is full of joy.

The creator reveals to me what I need to know.

All is well and getting better.

I look for opportunities to have a healthy lifestyle.

Each day is an opportunity to live a life that is healthy and fun.

I am vital and healthy in all areas of my body.

I have plenty of energy to live my life fully on a daily basis.

Everyday is a new chance to improve my health.

I am getting healthier and stronger everyday.

Every day I have time to nourish my mind, body and spirit.

I look for opportunities to feel joy.

The more grateful I am the more abundance I find.

Affirmations for Good Health and Fitness:

Submitted by: Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond Editorial Staff

I take good care of myself knowing that I must stay fit for my mind, body and spirit

I would like to personally thank all of the contributors, advisers, technical experts, friends and family for their support and prayers.It has been a joy to bring this vision to realization. May this magazine bless all who read it.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 3:13 (NIV) 49