Sharpening the Saw

There is an old Irish legend, a story of two lumberjacks.  Both men were skilled woodsmen although the first was much bigger, welding a powerful axe.  He was so strong that he didn’t have to be as accurate for he still produced due to his sheer size.  He was known far and wide for his ability to produce great quantities of raw material. Many hired him just because he was bigger.  After all, his customers reasoned, everyone knows that bigger is always better!! 

In spite of his size, the second woodsman’s fame was spreading for his skill was in his accuracy.  There was very little waste in his efforts so his customers ended up with a better product for their money. Soon the word spread that his work was even better than his larger competition! 

Upon hearing this, the larger man became concerned.  He wondered, “How could this be? I am so much bigger that I MUST be better!” He proposed that the two compete with a full day of chopping trees to see who was more productive.  The winner would be declared “The Greatest Lumberjack in all the land.” The smaller man agreed and the date for the bout was set.

The townspeople began talking.  They placed their bets.  The larger woodsman was the favorite to win with a 20 to 1 advantage.  After all, bigger is better!  The evening before the bout, both men sharpened their blades.  The smaller woodsman strategized to win the bout.  He knew he would never win because of his size. He needed a competitive advantage. Each man went to bed confident that he would be declared the winner. 

Morning broke with the entire town showing up to cheer on the lumberjacks.  The competition started with a the judge’s shout, “GO!” The first woodman, strong and broad, leaped into action.  He sawed vigorously and continuously without stopping knowing that every tree he felled brought him closer to his coveted title. 

The second woodsman, wasting no time and jumped into action as well, attacking his trees with every intention of winning the distinguished title.  But unlike his larger competitor, this man stopped every hour to sharpen his blade. 

This worried the townspeople greatly.  They murmured among themselves.  Surely, he could never win if he didn’t work longer and harder than his competitor.  His friends pleaded with him to increase his speed, to work harder but to no avail.  This pattern continued until the end of the day when both men heard the judge yell “TIME!”, signaling the end of the match. 

The larger man stood, winded and exhausted but proudly by his pile of trees knowing he had given his best.  Surely, he was the winner! The smaller woodsman also stood by his pile of trees though, unlike his competitor, the smaller man was still fresh, ready to continue if necessary.  He also stood confident of his efforts having toiled mightily for the prize.

When all the trees were counted, it was announced that the second woodsman had indeed felled more trees and had won the title of “The Greatest Lumberjack in all the Land!”  He happily shook the judge’s hand gripping the new blade that signified the win. The larger man, and most of the townspeople, stood in stunned silence at the announcement for he was, after all, stronger with the larger axe!

But the smaller woodsman, well, he was not surprised.  For he knew all along that in order to win especially against a larger competitor, his instrument had to be continually sharpened.  His axe was smaller and therefore each swing must be more accurate in order to produce the better product. By stopping the sharpen his instrument, he had proven, once and for all, that he was the better man for the job.

Sharpening the Saw

In his book, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey talks about sharpening the saw. He says: 

"It means exercising all four dimensions of our nature, regularly and consistently in a wise and balanced way. To do this we have to be proactive." 

The "dimensions of our nature" that he is referring to are the following: Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and Physical. Keeping balance between these four areas in our life brings greater peace, happiness, and purpose. You define what it is in your life that you are committed to. 

I'll admit, my situation is and has been very similar to where it was when I started THR over a year ago!  I've been up and down in dress sizes, and have not focused on my health the way that I should have. I have found myself going over old posts to motivate myself again and put ME back into the spotlight. Yet, most of the time I feel like I am spinning my wheels. 

Now, I as stare at the mountain of laundry ahead of me (a side effect from moving,) I realize that I am getting back to where I can focus on myself and my family.  Although it was really nice to be living with my parents and spending quality time with them, I have to admit, I am ready to be just us again. My life is still crazy busy! "High School Musical" doesn't open for another month, I am recruiting for a children's music education program that I am teaching from my home called Let's Play Music, and I still teach voice lessons.  Top this off with the HUGE garden that I have planted and I don't really have down time. Alas, I find myself sitting at my computer trying to organize my life into something bearable. My life FEELS overwhelming, and I am letting it affect me! Therefore, today, I have decided to "sharpen my saw." It's time to sit down, prioritize, and make room for the important things in my life. I find that if I am put together, the rest sort of puts itself together. Anyone else notice that? 

Give it a shot! Take some time to re-set goals.  I mean REALLY set them, like, write those suckers down! Start with ONE goal for each dimension in your life: Spiritually, Mentally, Emotionally, and Physically. Come up with a game plan for each goal, and focus on those things for a week. I'll add my weekly goals at the end of my posts for awhile to help me stay on track.  Let me know how it went for you! 

My Goals

Spiritually: Take time to have REAL, heart-felt, prayer. Too often, I end up spouting off the "go-to list." That needs to change. I need time to have a one-on-one with God.

Mentally: Put some time into studying and preparing for rehearsals, voice lessons, and Let's Play Music recruiting. The "work" aspect of my life seems to be "treading water." I attend to it when they call, but then I'm only half as good as I could be because of lack of preparation. 

Emotionally: FAMILY TIME!  My life is so busy that I need to PLAN family time. I want to have at least ONE night a week where we GO OUT and DO something as a family.  Golf, Mini-Golf, Hiking, Bikes, Lagoon, whatever.  We need it.  I have about 10 other goals for this category, but those will come when I get a handle on this one.

Physically: Here it is! Time to pay attention to my body again! My goal is to pay attention to my hunger scale. I KNOW that I am eating past the time when I am no longer hungry. There seems to be this small line where you aren't hungry anymore, but you aren't full.  THIS is when I need to stop eating.  I just have to slow down and NOTICE it!

Ways to Sharpen the Saw

Physically
Organize a space dedicated to yourself
Play
Meditate
Go to the Spa
Read

Mentally
Stretch
Have quality conversation
Complete a "bucket list" item
Listen to music
Learn something new

Spiritually
Read Scriptures
Enjoy Nature
Write in a journal
Pray
Smile

Emotionally
Laugh
Hold Hands with Someone
Apologize
Forgive
Date night!

If you'd like, go ahead and share your goals with me! Having someone to account to really does help!  I'm not even sure that people read this, but it certainly helps me! Don't forget to check out our Facebook Page! 

Detox Water- Truth or Myth?

So, about two weeks ago, I came across this little concoction. It was advertised as "Weight Loss Water."  The idea is that it is supposed to suppress hunger, flush out toxins, and get in all of your water.  The ingredients are all foods that are known for their health benefits in one way or another.  I thought that I would give it a shot and see what I thought of it.

How It's Made

The ingredients for 1/2 gallon pitcher are:
3 lemon slices- Health benefits include:

• Regulating blood pressure (special for high blood pressure)
• Fight against cancer 
• Maintain bone strength 
• Provides high hygiene and health of the oral cavity 
• Helps to reduce weight 
• Prevents overgrowth of parasites and intestinal worms (tapeworms) in the digestive system 
• Protects against fungal bacterial infections 
• Strong anti-depressive effect 
• Anti-Anxiety aid
• Cleansing effect on body
• Helps with cystitis and tumors 
• Decrease the cholesterol levels in the body which results in maintaining good health of our hearts. This is due to the presence of polyphenol flavonoids

5 cucumber slices (partially peeled to remove the bitter taste)- Benefits include:

• Immunity Booster
• Vitamin B
• Weight Loss Aid
• Digestive Aid
• Fights bad breath
• Helps to control Diabetes
• Joint Care-

3 slices of lime- Benefits include:

• Weight loss Aid
• Skin Care
• Eye Care
• Cure for Scurvy
• Constipation relief
• Digestive Aid

3 slices of orange (I used clementine)- Health Benefits Include:

• Helps to prevent cancer
• Emotional Stimulant
• Kidney Health
• Liver Health
• Boosts immune system

4 leaves of mint (or 3 large leaves.)-Health Benefits Include

• Digestive Aid
• Nausea and Headache
• Respiratory Disorders (Asthma, coughs, etc.)
• Anti- Depressant
• Energy Booster
• Boosts Memory
• Weight Loss Aid
• Fertility Aid
• Reduced Allergies and Hay Fever
• Fights against bad breath

**Remember to use ORGANIC ingredients to avoid ingesting pesticides.

Put all ingredients into the pitcher and fill up with filtered water.

You can pour some immediately, but make sure to keep the pitcher FULL at all times.  Otherwise, the water gets pretty strong. This last for about 2-3 days before you need to make some more.

Does it Work?

In short, the answer is YES!  After one day of drinking this, I really was feeling the detoxing.  I'll spare you the details, but a minor headache and the need to be near a restroom were both experienced.  After a full week of drinking it, I have noticed my clothes starting to get loose again (something that I have been struggling with for months- a story for another day.) Finally, I felt energized, experienced an increase in happiness, and got in all of my water for the day.  I don't have a SUPER hard time getting my water in anyway, so I know that these results didn't just come from the water itself.  

The best part is that I made some for my parents, and both of them have felt the exact same way!  A word of caution though: if you don't like the taste of lemon water, you won't like this.  (DUH) But, it would be a good liquid to add to your morning smoothies! 

There you have it folks!  Huh!  Who knew! Have you tried this for yourself?  What were your thoughts?  

A Lifestyle Change Doesn't Happen Overnight!

So many times, I hear people talk about being healthy as a "lifestyle."  Which it is.  It's just that I have often wondered...

"How long before it BECOMES a lifestyle?"

Is it like a habit... 21 days?  Or, if I believe P90X, it should only be 90 days.  Wait!  There is "Trim in  30," too.  I have finally come to the conclusion that, like unto many things that I blog about, there just isn't ONE answer.  It really is different for everyone.  See, I'm not one to jump into anything.  I research, analyze, experiment, and practically go crazy over details.  Once I try to make the "change" I inevitably find SOMETHING that I wasn't prepared for, and therefore, I stop the "program" that I was doing. As a result, I felt like a failure, and made damaging decisions that affected my body, mind, and spirit.

Almost a year ago, I started THR because I no longer wanted to be "skinny."  I just wanted to like myself again.  I wanted to forget about the weight. Instead, I decided to focus on HOW to get to that path.  Since then, I have tried different programs, foods, diets, and exercises. I have seen successes and failures. I have felt the words of doubt come into my mind too many times to fathom. But, it's almost a year later, and....

I. AM. STILL. HERE. 

I haven't given up!! Do I feel different?  YES. I do. Although it took me a long time to find "my" groove. It took time to find the things that I could do to LIVE  a LIFESTYLE.  I couldn't see myself counting points, calories or fat grams for the rest of my life. I knew that if I weighed any more food, I would go crazy. So, I searched high and low and found what works best for me. I have read more books on fitness, health, eating, etc. than I care to admit. But I think that I have the answers that I was looking for.

How do I know this? Because I am HAPPY.  I FEEL beautiful again. I can breathe freely. I might not LOOK a lot different, but I FEEL different.  I have a love for life again. I am in tune with myself. I love myself..... finally.... for the first time in a very long time. That is quite a success, don't you think?

The best thing about it is that I am NOW in a place where I can focus on letting go of the old, scared, calorie counting, food weighing, Cindy, and just be me.  In this past year, I have worked on getting myself emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually ready for a mighty change in my life. In my journey, I have found the things that "make the grade" for me.  Intuitive eating, daily activity, personal serenity and peace, "me" time, and food that FUELS my body. I have had a small glimpse (two dress sizes, beautiful skin, lighter disposition, and more energy) of what lies ahead of me.  I don't know about you, but I am excited to see what this next year brings!


I'm in the process of writing my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY post!  It is FOR SURE something NOT TO BE MISSED!  It's coming up on April 27th..... Let's celebrate!  Any ideas??

The Basics of Essential Oils

I LOVE essential oils. There is something about the aromatherapy, the massaging them into my skin, the fresh scent in my home made laundry soap, and so much more!

Essential Oils can be used for a variety of purposes.  Pinterest has multitudes of "recipes" that you can put together to solve just about any medical problem, cleaning problem, or beauty problem.  Although I use both oils and medicine for my ailments, I couldn't fathom getting rid of either.  I use essential oils in my laundry soap, as relief for colds, allergies, and headaches, massage and in my household cleaning- just to name a few.

Use of essential oils

• Air freshening
• Bathing | Amount of essential oils to use in bath
• Compresses
• Foot and hand baths
• Hair care | Amount of essential oils to use in shampoo
• Jacuzzis
• Massage | Amount of essential oils to use in massage blend
• Saunas
• Showers
• Sitz bath
• Skin care | Amount of essential oils to use in creams
• Steam inhalations
• Vaporization

Have you ever wanted to use essential oils, but didn't know where to start?  Here are some things that you need to know to get started.

Essential oils are not really oils. They do not contain the fatty acids that constitute what we would consider an actual oil. I would define them more as "plant juice."

 
Most essential oils are high in antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties: This makes them an excellent addition to your homemade cleaning preparations. Oils that are best for cleaning are: Lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lavender, and rosemary. 

Essential oils are miniscule in molecular size, which means they are absorbed well by the skin – making them perfect ingredients in personal care items intended to heal, soften, and nourish. However, they do not accumulate in the body over time – they simply offer up their healing properties and then pass on through. 

Fragrance oils and essential oils are NOT the same thing. As a rule of thumb, if you see the word “fragrance” or “fragrance oil” or even “perfume” on anything, you can assume this is synthetic and NOT natural. (Even if it says natural fragrance.) 

Essential oils are wholly natural and cannot be patented; which means that you’ll never see an essential oil in a pharmaceutical drug. 

 
Enormous amounts of plants are needed to produce essential oil. In fact, on the extreme end, it takes 4000 pounds of Bulgarian roses to produce 1 pound of essential oil. Other plants like lavender only take 100 pounds of plant material to produce a pound of essential oil. Still, can you imagine how concentrated essential oils must be, in light of how many plants are used to produce them?

Most essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin. Instead, they should be combined with “real” oils (called carrier oils), waxes, butters, alcohols, or other diluting measures. Because they’re so concentrated, if you don’t dilute, you may end up with an unfortunate reaction (and unhappy skin). My favorite carrier oil is olive. Although some oils are classified as "safe" to use in their full strength, you will still probably want to dilute just to weaken the smell. 

Never use an undiluted essential oil on a baby or child. Children have much thinner, more delicate skin than adults have, and tend to be very sensitive to the potency of essential oils. In fact, even if you do use essential oil in a recipe for children, only use half of the essential oil recommended in the recipe. 

 
To test if you’re sensitive to an essential oil (which is probably best to do before using it in a skincare preparation): Combine one drop of essential oil with 1/2 tsp carrier oil (like olive, jojoba, or sweet almond). Rub this on the inside, upper portion of your arm and wait a few hours. If no redness or itching develops, you’re most likely not sensitive to that essential oil. 

Keep all essential oils out of the reach of children – and avoid contact with your eyes. I know that this is more of a "duh" thing, but it really should be mentioned. 

Do not take essential oils internally, especially oils like wintergreen and eucalyptus. While some essential oils may be used well-diluted in something like toothpaste with safety, it’s generally recognized that there’s no need to take essential oils internally. 

 
Not all essential oils are created equally, nor does more expensive necessarily mean “better.” There are certain brands I will use in a less therapeutic fashion (like for cleaning), because they’re far less expensive than their counterparts. When you see a wide fluctuation in price between, say, lavender essential oils, you can bet that the far less expensive one is likely lower in quality. However, a small variation in price differences on the higher end will NOT mean a better essential oil. It will just mean a higher price. (A little birdie also told me that there are also only a handful of essential oil distilleries in the world, which means that most essential oils come from the exact same places – thus there is little difference in quality between the more “typically priced” EOs.) What I’m saying here is: Understand that you DO have to pay for quality, but that if you’re just using essential oils in non-therapeutic fashions, it’s okay to use less expensive oils. 

Where do I purchase my oils? I suggest using Native American Nutritionals or another ethical supplier that offers organic essential oils (grown without pesticides or toxic fertilizers). **No, I don't get compensation for recommending them. This is where I purchase my own oils. THIS is a great blog explaining WHY I chose NAN for my oils. I highly recommend reading ALL of her entries on essential oils. They are very informative.  

To test your essential oil to see how “pure” it is, put a single drop of it on a piece of construction paper. If it evaporates quickly and leaves no noticeable ring, it is pure. If you have a ring left, then it is likely diluted by the manufacturer with an oil of some sort (this test will not work for myrrh, patchouli, and absolutes). 

Essential oils will last for at least 5 years (if not 10), so one bottle could literally last you a decade. Hopefully that thought will help mitigate the cost involved in purchasing some essential oils. Because they are SO concentrated and only a tiny amount is needed in anything you do, they’ll last you a very, very long time. The only exception to this rule is citrus oils, which will see a reduction in potency after a year or two.
Store your essential oils in dark glass bottles (which they were probably packaged in) and out of direct sunlight. This is simply to help preserve their potency. 

USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO HELP YOUR MOOD. Lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, chamomile, lemon, ylang-ylang all help produce happy, joyous moods. Clary sage helps with PMS (although there have been reports that overuse of clary sage can lead to intoxication). Rosemary increases focus and concentration. Don’t forget the mood benefits of essential oils.

Recommended Essential Oils to Get You Started

I’ve narrowed it down to 7 essential oils to consider when starting to use them in your personal care products or homemade cleaning supplies. 

Peppermint (good for lip balms, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
Rosemary (good for hair preparations, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
Sweet orange (good for all skin types and very soothing in room sprays for children)
Rose geranium (good for all skin types, creating perfumes, and for use in homemade moisturizers)
Tea tree (great for healing, getting rid of dandruff, oily/acneic skin, and cleaning products)
Lavender (great for all skin types, for relaxation, hair preparations, and cleaning products)
Lemon (great for lifting moods, cleaning preparations, and sparingly in toners and products for oily skin)


All of these essential oils also happen to be some of the least expensive and easiest to find. Bonus!

There you have it! Hopefully, this answers some questions about using essential oils. I can honestly say that once you start to find a place for them in your life, you can't ever imagine NOT using them.




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