Growing Up

I just got home from a long weekend visiting my Daughter and celebrating my Granddaughter's first birthday.  I'm struck by how very fast our children grow and how our daily habits and customs form the women and men we are to become. Makes me think about what I would like to pass along to my grandchildren.

I'm currently reading, When things fall apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times, by Pema Chodron.  Pema Chodron is an American Buddhist Nun. I'm going to give you a taste of the book here with some excerpts from her chapter, Growing up.

"In all kinds of situations, we can find out what is true simply by studying ourselves in every nook and cranny, in every black hole and bright spot, whether it's murky, creepy, grisly, splendid, spooky, frightening, joyful, inspiring, peaceful or wrathful. We can just look at the whole thing. There's a lot of encouragement to do this, and mediation gives us the method...   

How we regard what rises in meditation is training for how we regard whatever arises in the rest of our lives... 

Learning how to be kind to ourselves, learning how to respect ourselves, is important....when we look into our own hearts and begin to discover what is confused and what is brilliant, what is bitter and what is sweet, it isn't just ourselves that we're discovering. We're discovering the universe........We're not just talking about our individual liberation, but how to help the community we live in, how to help our families, our country, and the whole continent, not to mention the world.... 

...There's an interesting transition that occurs naturally and spontaneously. We begin to find that, to the degree that there is bravery in ourselves--the willingness to look, to point directly at our own hearts--and to the degree that there is kindness toward ourselves, there is confidence that we can actually forget ourselves and open to the world.
The only reason that we don't open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don't feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes.  

Then this experience of opening to the world begins to benefit ourselves and others simultaneously. The more we relate with others, the more quickly we discover where we are blocked, where we are unkind, afraid, shut down. Seeing this is helpful, but it is also painful. Often the only way we know how to react is to use it as ammunition against ourselves. We aren't kind. We aren't honest. We aren't brave, and we might as well give up right now. But, when we apply the instruction to be soft and nonjudgmental to whatever we see right at that very moment, then this embarrassing reflection in the mirror becomes our friend. Seeing that reflection becomes motivation to soften further and lighten up more, because we know it's the only way we can continue to work with others and be of any benefit to the world. 

That's the beginning of growing up. As long as we don't want to be honest and kind with ourselves, then we are always going to be infants. When we begin just to try to accept ourselves, the ancient burden of self-importance lightens up considerably. Finally there's room for genuine inquisitiveness, and we find we have an appetite for what's out there. 

May we all strive to face each day with the honesty of children and the compassion of wise women and men.

Carpe Diem,

Lisa

About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, AFMC

Lisa is an author, functional nutrition, and functional medicine trained health coach, yoga teacher, and retired Registered Nurse with the mission to "Inspire, Educate and Empower" individuals and corporations to achieve optimal health.

Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think & Thrive is a self-health book offering her Seven Steps to Optimal Health.

When she is not coaching, or speaking, you can find Lisa joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance or playing with her two grandchildren. She is the mother of four adult children and believes, "Optimal health should not be a secret."

Year end Giving Request. Defending your Life

My mission is to inspire wellness and empower you with education so you can trust and believe in the power to heal from within. Yesterday I completed my certification in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. This is a complete program to teach you how to identify hidden stressors while building health through fundamental principles. We don't treat, diagnose or cure you. In fact, no one can cure you. Your body cures itself, if you follow fundamental principles of building health.

We merely help you identify and remove the roadblocks.

One big roadblock to optimal health is fear. There is nothing so fearful in our society today than a cancer diagnosis. I know this intimately well. I started this blogpost after my daughter was diagnosed with lymphoma over 5 years ago. My goal is to help turn fear and overwhelm into empowerment.

Now her husband, Brad at 35 years old, has been diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer with metastasis to the lung, liver and the spine. It is very hard not to be in fear mode. I'm told that I can't possibly know this fear. What I do know is to find peace and joy, you have to overcome fear. To heal and repair, you have to move from "fight or flight" to "rest and repair." (See previous post)

Brad and Dana have started a website that includes a podcast that was originally started to discuss fear that interferes with the goal of fully living an authentic life. It was based on the movie. "Defending your Life"

Little did they know that Brad would indeed be defending his life. www.defendingyourlife.us

Every moment of every day we have choices on how to live our life. We can react out of fear or respond out of love. There can be tough choices that feel scary. There are so many conflicting thoughts and opinions. In the conventional world there are three tools, surgery, radiation and pharmaceutical drugs. The alternative world preaches radical changes in nutrition, detoxification, meditation and self-healing modalities. My goal is to bridge the gap.

You cannot create war on yourself and war on the body without rebuilding health as the foundation. (see previous post). My daughters oncologist said, "Getting rid of cancer is the easy part, keeping it gone and rebuilding health, is the challenge."  This is why we must change the terrain that allows cancer to grow. We must detoxify the body, heal the gut and build up the immune system.

This is not about diet or deprivation. We must overcome this "no pain, no gain" mentality. Optimal health can and must be decadent and delicious or we will not stick with it. In today's fast pace world, we need support to "rest and digest."

Optimal Health is not complicated

How do you prioritize time for your own self healing?  This is difficult when you are busy fighting in the war on cancer. Our pharmaceutical healthcare system is not set up to support rebuilding health. It does not pay for functional medicine testing, for health coaching, supplements, yoga or meditation. It does not yet recognize these vital fundamental principles to support a strong foundation for healing.

When Dana was diagnosed, we took a leap of faith and went to Arizona to an integrative program.  My fear was that she would not survive chemotherapy in the winter in Detroit at 5'10" and 110 pounds. I believe we were right. Dana radically changed her diet and underwent multiple therapies including a few weeks of low dose chemotherapy. She got a clean Pet scan in 10 weeks. The proof is in the pudding. Unfortunately, none of it was covered by her insurance. We paid $70,000 out of pocket. We were fortunate to have this available.

Every cancer patient has the same dilemma. They can do everything in their power with conventional medicine to kill the cancer, but how to rebuild health? Unfortunately, our healthcare system is only based on killing cancer through surgery, radiation and drugs. 

Health building strategies are not covered. Supplements, organic juices and food, bodywork, yoga, meditation, infrared, hyperbaric oxygen, nutritional IV therapy, detoxification methods, are all considered "value add" "nice to have" and not covered by insurance. I pray for the day when we have freedom of choice on how we spend our healthcare dollars.

In the meantime, my twin sister has started a new business and she and her partner are donating a percentage of their profits to helping others. Next Friday we are having a celebration to her business and fundraiser for Brad. As a reader, I invite you to join us, (but please RSVP!). 

I've never asked for something from my followers. But it's the end of the year, if you are looking to give a personal gift please consider one for Brad. http://www.defendingyourlife.us/contribute.html

Here's a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh's book, 

Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm

Without fear, we are able to see more clearly our connections to others. 

Without fear, we have more room for understanding and communication.

Without fear, we are truly free. 

Here's to courageous warriors who can take the Road Less Traveled.

Namaste. With Love & Gratitude,

Lisa

About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN

Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age. 

She is also the Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational. 

Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.