Mindset & Emotions

There are so many of us that use food for more than just nourishment, or enjoyment, or as a way to connect with our community...there are so many of us that use food in a desperate way to fill some deep emotional hole that we have.

We use food to somehow make us happy, or calm, or just plain "feel better," whatever that means to us!

For the most part, we call this EMOTIONAL EATING (Check out the blog I wrote about emotional eating here https://www.realexcellentliving.com/post/emotional-eating-been-there-donethat)​

But for some of us, the eating has reached a tipping point and it's more than just emotional eating, for some of us it's become something darker and seemingly harder to overcome.

Some of us have tipped over into Binge Eating.

So what is Binge Eating?

Binge eating is an aggravated form of emotional eating. Over time, an emotional eater moves from just eating in response to emotions to MASSIVELY overeating in response to emotions once you are no longer​ able to get the good feeling from food that you are used to. Often you​ tip from emotional eating to binge eating when you have a major life trauma or upset that you can't cope with or process.

So how do you know if you have tipped over from emotional eating to binge eating?

Well, if you are a binge eater you :

1. Tend to consume amounts of food that others feel is excessive. A handful of cookies is not enough - we finish the whole bag, we don't just eat one donut we eat 3, or 4 or 6. When we eat for emotional reasons eating an extra dessert might do it, when we are binging we eat the whole cake!
2. Tend to lose control while eating - this is the most distinct characteristic of binge eating. Some people describe feeling 'zoned out,' unaware of what they are doing, or simply just seeming to lack the ability to stop eating. To put it mildly, self-control and will power go completely out the window! Very often you may find that even if you are normally a very neat and tidy person you may leave a mess of crumbs or wrappers behind - as if you suddenly just don't care! Emotional eating is much more a conscious decision then binge eating which feels unconscious!

3. Tend to eat more quickly than usual - there is a frenetic, frantic energy to binge eating! When you are emotionally eating you savor the food as it soothes your feelings, with binge eating there is a "stuffing your face" energy that has nothing to do with flavor or enjoyment and instead is just trying to consume as quickly as possible.

4. Tend to eat to the point of pain - when you are binge eating you eat to the point of feeling extremely uncomfortable even to the point of feeling painfully full, and then you keep eating. (Think Thanksgiving dinner on steroids!) Emotional eating normally stops before you get to that point.

5. Tend to eat in secrecy - Emotional eating can easily happen when we are out for dinner or with other people around, but with binge eating it's something we do alone or in secret. We might hide food or buy food without letting other people know. And we keep it a secret because we feel a huge amount of shame or embarrassment about what we are doing!

6. Tend to feel shame and disgust after you are done binging! Instead of food making you feel better or feel happiness with a twinge of guilt (like you would if you were emotionally eating) you instead feel massive amounts of mental anguish, or anxiety, or depression. This is an important thing to remember...eating no longer has the desired effect of making you feel better, instead, it makes you hate yourself! (For a lack of a better way to say it)

So maybe you've tried everything to gain some control over your eating and maybe you have always thought you were an emotional eater...but now you recognize yourself in the description above!

Maybe why all the advice you have heard and tried has never worked makes sense now!

Maybe you have done so much work on yourself, have walked the path of self-discovery and growth, have dived into self-care, and self-image and self-esteem work, but for some reason have not been able to let go of what you thought was emotional eating.

Binge eating might have a lot in common with emotional eating, but it requires a different strategy and mindset when trying to heal from it! 

The first thing I had to realize as I went deeper into my relationship with food, was that binge eating was not something I was doing wrong, it was not a weakness or a lack of self-control, it was my brain actually doing what it was supposed to be doing!

I had to realize that it wasn't that I wasn't working properly, but rather that I was working properly!

See when we are emotional eaters we are using a different part of our brain then if we are binge eaters, when we are emotional eaters we are using our limbic brain that is responsible for our emotions, but when we are binge eating it is something much more primal, we are actually being controlled by our reptilian brain, where our amygdala is stored, which is where our fight, flight or freeze response comes from. The questions that our reptilian brain asks are "Can I mate with it? Is it safe? Can I eat it?"

If you are a binge eater it feels like you have no control, it feels like something else is taking over when you eat and that is because something is...you are being controlled by our most basic survival instincts. This is your mind trying to take care of you - not trying to harm you!

But so often we are trying to solve our binging by using our limbic or prefrontal cortex which we actually don’t have access to when our reptilian brain is in control.

Hence the reason that when we come to after binge eating it seems like we were someone or somewhere else, and why we promise ourselves it will never happen again (that's our prefrontal talking) but it always does.

For so many years, I was trying to fix my binging with my logic, reasoning, higher thinking, etc that my prefrontal cortex offers (focusing on self-love, etc), never realizing why I wasn’t making a dent. All that personal growth didn't help when I was faced with the temptation of food, or when the end of the day came. My brain was too busy trying to protect me!

 So how do you deal with the reptilian brain?

Your work is to address the fear and create a space where you feel safe. When you create a space where you feel safe and you address that fear you can again access your higher mind. Without creating the feeling of safety, which is what the reptilian brain is trying to create with its overeating, you can not get past the instinct and begin to function from a higher level of thinking

Almost all advice on how to deal with emotional eating makes the assumption that you have access ​to​ your limbic or prefrontal cortex -​which you don't have when you are in reptilian brain mode- which is why all that advice hasn't worked. All information that we receive first flows through our reptilian brain and then moves to the limbic and the​ prefrontal cortex. 

So how do you create a feeling of safety for your brain so that the information can naturally flow into a part of your brain that allows you again to access things like reason, logic, self-love, disciple, etc?

Here are 6 things that worked for me:

1. Give yourself space, space between that moment that your reptilian brain says eat and you start eating. As you create that space give yourself the soothing message that you are safe. Doing something as simple putting the food you love binging on in hard to reach places gives you that moment of space where you can "come back to your sense" so to speak. My favorite way of creating space and soothing my reptilian brain at the same time is putting notes on my fridge door, pantry door, and any food that I find especially tempting that say, "You are safe," "Nothing bad is happening." "You are ok," "Just take one deep breath."

2. After you feel like you have created a space of safety ask yourself "What am I afraid of?" If you are binge eating you are being controlled by fear so you must address that fear. Dig deeper than the first knee jerk reaction by asking yourself this 5 or 6 times and record everything that comes to mind. For me, when it came right down to it I feared the lack of control I felt I had in my life. Everything that controlled me was outside of myself and so I felt I was at the whim of what others would do. My reptilian brain tried to combat this fear through eating.

3. The second thing to ask yourself is "What are you protecting yourself from? Any time the reptilian brain is in charge it is trying to protect you from danger or perceived danger. Since we don't live in a world where we have to be afraid of lions attacking us anymore, what we see as danger has changed! Social rejection, embarrassment, the feeling of being out of control, anxiety, overwhelm, loneliness, can all be seen as danger. For me the danger I felt like I was facing was the loss of my connection with myself as I wore myself out trying to please everyone!

4. The next step sounds easy but is much more difficult then it sounds! You must accept the answers that come up in questions 2 and 3. Now don't think I can't hear you saying "Huh? Of course." But let's tell the truth here, most of the time we don't accept the answers that come up, instead, we try to rationalize, or blame, or analyze our answers so that they "make sense," or we judge them as if we should show up a different way the way we are. None of that is acceptance. Acceptance means saying "This is what is, and I will allow it to be, without trying to add or take away from it." You know you have found acceptance when you feel a settling or a grounding in your body, you don't have to like it, but you feel the tension about it drain away.

5. Next ask yourself the question, "What do I really need right now? What is my desire?" When I realized that I felt so out of control in my life, I realized that I need two things, I needed to learn how to speak up about my needs, and I needed to stop over committing to things. You may find when you ask yourself that question something pops up really quickly but it scares you, but guess what, that's the path you need to be on - trust it. You may find when you ask yourself that question nothing pops up and you feel frustrated, don't worry that's ok! We are often so out of touch with what we actually need that we can't hear it right away! Trying starting a journal, and just free-write everything that comes to mind, then practice accepting whatever you wrote with no judgment or rationalization. Give your subconscious proof that you are safe to share your needs with!

6. When you have identified your need immediately take a step towards it - even if it's just a small step! I remember sitting in my kitchen on nights that I felt compelled to binge and going through this process, and as I recognized my needs I found myself doing things like: sending out resignation emails to things that really didn't fit my schedule, writing letters to my husband to share my overwhelm, typing out texts that were long overdue but I had been putting off because I was afraid. They were hard things, but necessary in order for me to feel like I was taking back control of my life.

So instead of consuming more food then my body could possibly ever need, I found myself learning how to make myself feel safe, accepting myself for who I was, and learning how to grow in areas that were long overdue!

Cheering you on as you journey,

XO Meg

Meg is a life coach, blogger and event host that is passionate about walking with people who want more out of life than just the status quo!

She believes that life doesn’t have to work out exactly the way we think it “should” in order to be enjoyed and that people don’t have to be perfect in order to be loved.

She believes that we all have the voice of truth inside of us but sometimes it can be hard to hear. And most importantly that we must live between the tension of accepting the things we cannot change and taking massive action on the things we can!

Meg creates spaces where women can slow down and process all the things that are influencing and controlling their lives - their everyday thoughts, emotions, and the stories they have been telling themselves.

Spaces where they can look at their inner world, gain valuable insight and then reclaim their personal authority, and make conscious decisions that transform the way they experience their lives!

Through one on one coaching, group coaching and workshops Meg helps women show up in the world with more love, and less ego, more compassion, and less judgment, more vulnerability, and less shame, more emotional agility and less fear!

Meg lives in BC with her husband of 20 years, two teenage boys and their little dog Charlie.

To learn more about Meg and her business, visit her website:

www.realexcellentliving.co​m

When sh** hits the fan, your go to is either to blame whatever’s happening at work or complain about your partner… which is just being human.

But why does this happen? Simple, the paradigm many of us are using is one where we see ourselves as something supported by our work and home… instead of life a cookie! Where our self is the cookie, with home, work and more as the chocolate chips!

Okay, backing up a bit – the problem paradigm. 

When we use a diagram where everything is separated out, we create boxes in our lives, separating out parts of ourselves. You know this, because every time you say “Well, part of me feels like doing x, and part of me wants to do y…” we’re quite literally talking about different aspects of us. Even if we use a Venn diagram structure, there are still times when we try to be just one thing… just a worker be, just a wife / mother / daughter… and only a few times when we show up as all of who we are.

Instead, integrate all of the boxes to create your life cookie! In this model, you are the cookie dough - ever-present, encircling all of the bits that make you unique and delicious! Add as many ingredients you want, to make the perfect You Cookie – chocolate / raisins / nuts / etc. 

As you move through life, yourself has access to all of the skills you have ever learned, able to draw on what you need moment to moment, easily and effortlessly. 

The choice is your, keep up the strain of a life od boxes, or become a chocolate chip cookie and have access to all of your loves/skills/amazing all the time!

Want to make the switch seamlessly? Curious about how to do actually integrate your parts? Reach out!

From inner bondage to becoming a trailblazer in your own life, Shannon guides you through a compassionate process to become the Queen of Your World. Release the bonds holding your back and use the energy to accelerate you forward along the path you crave. 

Contact Shannon now to connect with a tribe of empowered women, ruling their Queen-dom’s with grace and heart. 

Shannon is also honoured to be the Branch Director for HHW Central Toronto, Ontario – join us Thursday mornings for Authentically Connecting – as all of who you are!

Oh, the ever elusive happiness. 

Is it just a fleeting emotion? Is it something that we can reach and actually sustain?

Researchers have been studying happiness and wellbeing for a few decades now. And they have discovered some pretty fascinating things. 

And although some of it has caught on in the mainstream media, (gratitude, yes, start a gratitude practice, gratitude boosts our well being and level of happiness) a lot of it hasn’t yet. 

And a lot of what hasn’t really caught on yet is actually pretty transformative. 

Here is an interesting fact that can shift your perspective a little bit and nudge you in a good direction, if you’re wondering why it’s so hard to just be happy. 

Today’s Happiness Fact: 

We’re not wired to be happy. We’re wired for survival

What does that mean? Well, it means that the “bad” is stronger and more attention-getting than the good. This is called the negativity bias. And we all have it. 

You know how you can do a presentation or a project and you can receive a whole bunch of compliments and they feel, well, pretty good. But then you get that one little criticism and …OUCH!! Exactly. The bad is more attention-getting than the good. You feel the “bad” with a lot more intensity than you feel the “good.” Or you know how having something stuck in your teeth, or a tiny pebble in your shoe can practically ruin an otherwise perfectly good day?

Our minds are wired to notice and pay attention to what’s wrong around us. We evolved this way because it helped us to survive. Our ancient ancestors that noticed and tended to the potential dangers in our surroundings (what was wrong or what might be wrong) instead of just noticing what was good, were more likely to survive the tigers, the poison berries, and whatever else posed a risk in their environments. 

But what does that mean for us now? Getting some negative feedback isn’t likely to affect our survival, but it definitely can affect our mood. And focusing our attention on every little thing that is wrong in our lives can leave us feeling pretty down. No wonder it’s so hard to feel happy, even when things are going well!

So what can we do about it?

A powerful thing we can do is to amp up the positive. This fits in with one of the other amazing things that scientists have learned about our brains pretty recently. Our brains are constantly changing. And we can wire and rewire our brains with our thoughts and behaviours. This is called neuroplasticity.

So focusing on what’s good around us, deliberately, and creating a habit out of it, actually changes our brain to see more of what’s good.  You see, what we practice we get better at. And that includes where we put our attention. That’s a big reason why gratitude is so important and valuable for boosting our happiness and wellbeing. It counters the negativity bias and changes our brain to see more of what’s good.

What else? Savouring and mindfulness are also powerful tools you can use and actions you can take. And there are also strategies to challenge your negative thoughts head on. Learn about them on my future posts, or sign up to one of my online Flourishing Skills Groups where we do a deep dive into all of this cool stuff. And we do it while building a heart-centred community and connection, which is another key component of wellbeing and happiness.

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Lina Maria is a certified life coach and well-being educator with a background in Positive Psychology. Her drive has always been to find the most effective way to bring meaningful, positive social change to societies and the world. She combines her knowledge of the science of optimal human functioning and wellbeing with her experience in education and coaching to bring powerful and effective change to people’s lives through coaching, Flourishing Skills Groups, and workshops.

Through personal coaching, Lina Maria provides a safe and supportive space combined with powerful solution-focused questioning and reflection to support you to find clarity and direction for moving forward in the direction you want to go in your life. Schedule a free life goals assessment and coaching session. And stay up to date on my events and other cool wellbeing science-related stuff by Following me on Facebook.

www.linamariacoaching.com

Join my Facebook group

www.facebook.com/linamariacoaching

It’s easier than you think.

"What should I do with my life?" 

Isn't this the most important question you might ask yourself?

Creating a life you love is a beautiful thing, and figuring out what makes you happy personally and professionally is a way to start chipping away at this ultimate life question.

Many of my clients fall into careers after college or university or succumb to parental influences or societal norms about good jobs out there. They haven’t invested in themselves to make the best choices – much less created a vision for how they want their lives to be.

Then, these clients get to a stage in life where they are bored, unfulfilled, stuck, and at loose ends. Sometimes this happens after a significant life change, like losing a job, having a child, going through a divorce, or kids leaving the nest. They know there is something out there they’d like to do – something more purposeful and joyful, but they have no idea how to uncover it.

I get it because I was once there, too. And, here’s what I learned: life is too short not to do what you love.

The good news is that figuring out how to spend your time meaningfully doesn’t have to include anything drastic like quitting your job tomorrow or spending a month in a monastery (although these could be exhilarating and soul-stirring approaches).

You could start with journaling or speaking with a trusted advisor, coach, or friend to get more insights. Quite often, you overlook thenatural talents that others see more clearly.

For help identifying possibilities, I use several tools with clients, including career assessments and personality instruments. These draw out our passions, occupational interests, information about how you like to learn, what work environment may bring out your best, and your innate preferences and ways of working. They don’t tell you precisely what you should do with your career and life; they give you something much more empowering: greater clarity and valuable options.

If you’ve tried other tactics to figure out what to do with your life without success, now might be the time to open yourself up to the possibilities that a world renown assessment and a professionally facilitated self-discovery process can bring.

Find out:

What if you could get up every morning with gratitude and excitement about what the day would bring?

When you love what you do, you feel energized and fulfilled, and ready to give your best. This is the ultimate in experiencing joy.

And the fantastic thing is, you can find that perfect job and enrich your life in ways you never thought possible once you figure out what you should do with your life.

Lisa Petsinis is an ICF certified life and career coach who works with resourceful women who want to rediscover their brilliance and create alife they love. She is a former Certified HR Leader who has worked withprofessionals for decades to chart their career development, and now she uses her coaching skills with clients more holistically -- as well as certifications in the Strong Interest Inventory® and MBTI® -- to explore new visions for their lives. Visit her website to learn about her coaching programs, including “What To Do With My Life,” and upcoming events.You can also contact Lisa for a discovery call or sign up for her newsletter for even more advice and inspiration.

Big presentation tomorrow. Networking event later today. Your boss calls you into their office. Cue the beginnings of stress - the nervous butterflies in your stomach, followed by worry and then doubt about your abilities. As this feeling washes over your entire body, you mind goes blank, what are you going to say? You look around and there's no way out! What do you do?!?

Phew, take a breath. In and Out.

The problem comes when adrenaline fires without a Saber Tooth Tiger present, when our old brain triggers the fight or flight response simple because something is new… which happens all the time. 

Ground & Bubble!

And Ace that Presentation. Stay calm and collected during conflict between team members. Speak up with confidence.

Join her on Facebook for more tips, tricks and magic wand moments to get to your more.

Shannon is also honoured to be the Branch Director for HHW Central Toronto, Ontario (where she runs the Secrets of Stress Success event 😊 )

Getting real about ‘balance’

Finding/Reaching/Attaining balance. What an out of date concept. 

Nothing is ever balanced... okay, except maybe a set of scale in a clean room devoid of any outside influences.

 

So, let's get real. And take a timeout from the quest for balance.

Instead of striving for some impossible pipe dream of 'balance' let's switch up the conversation to something more attainable, more real.

 Wholeness.  

How can you fill your mind, body and spirit to live a Whole Life? 

What does that even mean?

It means you look inside to identify the missing pieces and then you go our and fill them!

The beauty of a Wholeness focus? You can get to full! And then its your choice whether to be satisfied OR stretch more, expand your cup and fill even more.* This is how you get to the More that's Waiting For You. You fill towholeness and then expand and grow even more!

Forget 'balance' and switch your focus to Wholeness.

*Note: Open space is the most important element to include when filling your cup... this is what makes it possible to move between the different areas, to have choice and to set a foundation to grow from.

Okay – now how do you do this. Simple, #1 ask yourself these questions – or get a friend to ask you, as its so much simpler to be real with yourself when someone else asks you. (And I said real with yourself… you can keep your answers to yourself…)

 

Step #2 – Book in the time. Carve the space for them out of your schedule. Fill your ________________ (insert feeling from b) muscles so you have the juice to do all of the other things in your calendar.

A change is as good as a rest… until you’re burnt out. So, switch it up, add some you time, and rock it!

Join her on Facebook for more tips, tricks and magic wand moments to get to your more.

Shannon is also honoured to be the Branch Director for HHW Central Toronto, Ontario.

Do you have a hard time saying no?

Happy, successful people establish healthy boundaries and learn to say no to what doesn’t serve them.

Here are 4 ways to start saying “yes” to yourself and saying “no” to others:

1. Take stock of your yeses.

Most successful people say “no” to practically everything, except what really matters. You probably have no idea just how many times a day you agree to something. It’s time to take notice!

For the next few days, make a list of all the things and people you’ve said “yes” to, then think about how you might have responded differently. Would you still say “yes” today? You can do this activity retrospectively, also, and reflect on the past week.

2. Get clear on your priorities.

When you create a focus in your life, saying “yes” or “no” becomes effortless. And, setting priorities starts with quiet reflection and solid planning. Give yourself the time and space to dream big, then write out your bold goals for the month. Narrow these down to the week and the day and create a habit of getting clear as you start each day. You’ll have that mental reminder of what’s important to you and what you’ve committed to yourself to get done.

3. Think before committing.

People who overcommit don’t do it because they want to disappoint others or become stressed out; they do it because they crave approval and fear disappointment. They think they can do it all (newsflash: they can’t, and neither can you).

Instead, when you’re asked to do something, don’t feel pressured to answer right away. Pause. Go back to your list of priorities and your calendar and see what’s reasonable. If your goals are always top of mind, you’ll have no trouble making decisions that are in alignment.

4. Perfecting saying “no” is like doing chin-ups; it takes practice and consistency. At first, it feels awkward, and it hurts a little, but then you realize how exhilarating it can be.

Try saying “no” loud and proud in front of a mirror. Then say it, and let it go. You don’t have to overthink it, worry about anyone’s reaction, or of feel guilty. Use my examples of ways to say “no” without even mentioning the word.

What are you waiting for before you’ll do it? Commit to your yeses and feel good about your noes as well.

Lisa Petsinis is a certified life coach who works with resourceful women who want to put themselves first and create a life they love – without chaos or guilt. Visit her website to learn about her coaching programs, contact her for a discovery call, or grab her free guide“5 Simple Ways To Start Turning Your Life Around Today.”

As I sit here, racking my brain for an engaging topic, thoughts of “Clean Eating 101,” “Juggling Life,” “Finding Balance in Life” or “Priority Management” all spring to mind. Then, I realize that one of the biggest obstacles I put in my own way - something that makes all these ideas more challenging on a daily basis - is … procrastinating.  I mean, seriously, think about it. Do you hit the snooze button in the morning? Do you ever leave that heaping basket of clean, dry towels until tomorrow to fold? Do you put off meal prepping on the weekend and struggle to put together a healthy lunch during the week? Do you scan Instagram for hours at a time when you have other things you could be doing?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I admit it too … I procrastinate!

So, then, I’m thinking, WHY? Why do I procrastinate? Why do I put things off until later when it is probably much simpler and more efficient to do them now?

Well, what about feeling tired? Nah. I’m sure none of us is so fatigued, out of energy and just plain exhausted by the end of a full day or week that one last thing - like folding laundry - seems like the largest, most insurmountable task that anyone could think of at that given moment, are we? Well, … yes! Yes we are! We’re only human right? There is a limit! So, feeling tired. That’s one of the reasons I procrastinate.

Time. Does it ever feel like there’s just not enough time to fit everything into one day? Does it feel like you just cannot do - or even begin to do - that one job or assignment or report. It’s overwhelming and, well, let’s face it, why start something now when there’s no way you can finish it today?

Sometimes, I just, simply, don’t feel like it. Wouldn’t you rather watch that next episode of Grey’s Anatomy. You know the one where Station 19 overlaps and both casts are in the one episode? Love that episode. Actually, there are 2 in a row if I remember correctly. Can’t miss that! I have to watch it … NOW! It’s funny that,“Most of us seem to tacitly believe that our emotional state has to match the task at hand. …But that’s just not true. I have to recognize that I’m rarely going to feel like it, and it doesn’t matter if I don’t feel like it.”  (Washington Post, April 27, 2016). Reality check! That is so true! I even tell my own children as well as my students that, sometimes, we have to do things even if we don’t feel like doing them right at that moment.

There are books and studies and so many articles written on this exact topic. Also, “The process of overcoming procrastination can (only) begin once you’re able to admit that. when you avoid taking action, you’re really avoiding pain. … Without realizing it, most of us instinctively retreat to a comfort zone and try our best never to leave it.”  That pain may simply be that you’d much rather enjoy scrolling through Facebook than emptying the boring, old dishwasher but, think of the other side. How will you feel in the morning when you can grab a big, clean mug out of the cupboard for your morning coffee, instead of having to see that dishwasher full of clean dishes just waiting to be emptied? It would’ve been worth doing it the night before – guaranteed! So, how do I practise what I preach, as they say? Where do we start?

2.THEN, ASK YOURSELF: WHY DO I PROCRASTINATE? Once I realized that I was avoiding tasks because they were unpleasant or boring, or I just plain didn’t feel like doing them, I could start planning to overcome this lifelong habit of putting things off. Sure, being tired, feeling like I just don’t have enough time, those are all real feelings, but think of the end game. How will this change your lifeor even the next day of your life (start small😊)?

3. JUST DO IT! Even if you do feel tired and unmotivated, just do that small task like folding the laundry. Make those lunches the night before. Start that report. You’ve got this! I’ve been trying this for the past month and guess what? I feel amazing! Instead of leaving all these little tasks until tomorrow, I’m doing them right away or, at least, as soon as possible. I’m feeling calmer, more confident, more in control of my life. Who knew that making my bed every morning, folding towels as they come out of the dryer and consistently making my lunch the night before could make such a positive difference in life?! Focusing on the end result has been life-changing! Now, each “next day” is going more smoothly because I did those things yesterday. I know,it’s early days, and this will take time until itbecomes a regular habit but, so far, so good.

4. CHUNKING: Often, we procrastinate because we’re unsure of where to start, so we don’t start at all. Does that sound familiar? Try this:Look at the task, determine what the first step would be (even if it’s Youtubing a video on how to do it!:)) and begin with that first piece. You know Newton’s Laws of Motion? The Law of Inertia – an object at rest will stay at rest – or on the couch😊 – and an object in motion will stay in motion - unless acted on by an outside force – blah, blah, blah. Let’s focus on the staying in motion part. Push yourself to start and get into motion. Easier said than done, for sure, but get into motion. That is key, and the biggest hurdle I’m working to overcome.

It all sounds easy, right? Well, maybe not, but it is doable. So, where to start? Start at Step 1 and go from there.

Honestly, once I recognized that I have a tendency toprocrastinate and that I often feel overwhelmed by the one million things I have to do in a day, my life started to become less stressful and things are now getting done! On that note, I’m off to begin report cards which, by the way, aren’t due for another 3 weeks. The schedule is set to do a little each day with a day of editing at the end. Woohooo! We’ve got this!

To learn more about Liz visit: https://www.lizryan.arbonne.com

We are only here for an INSTANT in eternity -
do you want to spend that time BURNT-OUT?

More and more I'm seeing burnout everywhere. People are overwhelmed and overworked and they don't know what to do about it.

As an entrepreneur, it's easy for me to always believe that there is
ONE MORE THING to do,
ONE MORE EMAIL to write,
ONE MORE client to call,
ONE MORE task that might be the game changer.

WHEN IS IT ENOUGH? 

If you're looking to beat burnout - below are my top 3 tips that have helped me navigate this tricky sucker! 

1) FIND BALANCE with work and home (in a NEW WAY!)
Is your work full of extroverted experiences? Sales calls, presentations, phone conversations and meetings? 
TAKE TIME TO BE QUIET. 
When you finish work, read a book, take a bath, spend time doing a quiet activity like going for a walk or flipping through a magazine. 
On the other hand if your work is quiet and solo, you might schedule a dinner with friends, catch up on a phone call with a loved one or go to a community event. 
We all need activity AND rest. If your work is one way, balance your time off with the other. 

2) SAY NO TO SOMETHING
What's one thing you can say 'no' to this week?
Maybe it's taking on a commitment on your day off, or volunteering at your kid's school. Maybe it's saying 'no' to staying at work late, perpetuating the lie that BUSY = PRODUCTIVE. 
Maybe you say NO to needing to complete that one last task before you walk out the door - you know - the one that makes you late to your next commitment? 
Saying NO to something allows you to say YES to yourself. 

3) TAKE TIME TO SLOW DOWN
Our minds build MOMENTUM.
When we're racing through our days it's no wonder that slowing down feels impossible! Teach yourself to slow down with a few minutes of mindfulness! 
Set a timer for 1 minute, and simply focus on your breath OR download the free app Insight Timer and listen to one of my guided meditations. 
Warning: THIS MIGHT BE DIFFICULT! Remember it takes TIME to slow down a Mack Truck and it will take time to slow down your mind.  

Life is not just one big long to do list. It’s mean to be lived, breathed, loved and experienced. I believe a 'successful' life is one filled with WELLBEING, HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.

Trish Tutton is a speaker and mindfulness teacher. Trish helps professional women stress less using the tools of mindfulness through her keynotes, workplace trainings and one on one coaching. Click here to receive Trish’s free gift “One Minute of Calm at work”