11 posts tagged “health and wellness”
This one is a little more difficult and can be dangerous. Please – safety first. There are handrails on the staircase for a reason. And, although the reason may not be the following, they will serve as excellent stability boosters for the following exercise.
Last post you tried walking backwards up a hill. Other than being unusual, it is not that difficult for most people. Of course, there are ways to make it more difficult. We’ll save that for another post.
Our home is built into a hill on the shore. It is about a 50 foot rise from the water to our driveway/front entrance. The front entrance is actually the third storey out of four. You can imagine there are a lot of stairs. And, when my husband and I designed the home, we chose to have higher than average ceilings, therefore, the staircases are longer than normal as well. Do not worry, we thought ahead: there is an elevator for future considerations.
To stumble out of bed in the morning (today at 40F but sunny) and reach the hot tub on the deck requires 2 full flights of stairs plus the few steps outdoors. Now, I wouldn’t attempt the following first thing in the morning before my muscles are warmed up, but I do try it once in a while during the day for variety.
Pick any staircase where no one else is around – this is not something to try in a mall. With your dominant side closest to the handrail, grasp the rail with that hand at the base of a set of stairs. Now, carefully, walk in reverse up the flight of stairs. It will feel quite strange and you will need the handrail for a while. Gradually, loosen your grip on the rail over time until you are barely touching it. Try not to swivel your head around and look behind you while doing this exercise. The goal is to look straight ahead just like you do when you are going down the stairs normally. You are reversing all the motions, not changing anything except your direction. This exercise will work your muscles differently and will definitely give your brain a bit of a workout as well.
Have fun. Be safe.
To variety…
Susan Crutcher, RRPr, CPTN-CPT, PHC
Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach, Baby Steps to Success Expert
www.SueCrutcher.com; www.Sutopia.com
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Permission to reprint. This article (and all articles on this blog) is copyrighted by Susan Crutcher. You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety as long as you include the following credit with the article:
Susan Crutcher is the author of “Health & Wellness Made Simple” and is currently working on a series of self empowerment books which incorporate her baby steps to success theory. She is a life empowerment mentor, health and wellness coach, baby steps to success expert and motivational speaker, is certified in personal training and over a dozen complementary care modalities with over 30 years of teaching experience. Susan is manager of Greystone Retreat (a luxury rental home on Georgian Bay), co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities Inc (holistic education), editor of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario (RRCO) newsletter ‘In Touch’ and a founding member of the Grey-Bruce Spiritual Network (GBSN). Download and enjoy a free sample of her book at: www.SueCrutcher.com
Those of you who read my blog regularly are aware that occasionally I throw in an experiment for you to try.
As we been discussing ‘your best accessory’ is your smile I have thought of TWO experiments:
EXPERIMENT ONE:
On a day when you’re feeling quite happy, optimistic and perhaps even empowered … head somewhere that is public (a mall, grocery store, walk in the park).
You will automatically feel like smiling when in this mind set. However, do not outwardly smile … keep your smile inside and feel the smile happening from within.
Notice the reaction of people near you … walking toward you down an aisle, when you happen to glance at them.
Most likely you will notice that they smile at you as they near you or upon eye contact.
Naturally, you will immediately smile in return.
They have made your day brighter and you have returned the favour to them.
It’s fun to be the receiver instead of the giver for a change -- relish the experience!
Enjoy and do let us know how it works out for you…
Hey, wait a minute! Where's the second experiment?! It's coming up next week...
Keep smiling!
Susan Crutcher, RRPr, CPTN-CPT, PHC Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach, Baby Steps to Success Expert www.SueCrutcher.com; www.Sutopia.com
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Permission to reprint. This article (and all articles on this blog) is copyrighted by Susan Crutcher. You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety as long as you include the following credit with the article: Susan Crutcher is the author of “Health & Wellness Made Simple” and is currently working on a series of self empowerment books which incorporate her baby steps to success theory. She is a life empowerment mentor, health and wellness coach, baby steps to success expert and motivational speaker, is certified in personal training and over a dozen complementary care modalities with over 30 years of teaching experience. Susan is manager of Greystone Retreat (a luxury rental home on Georgian Bay), co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities Inc (holistic education), editor of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario (RRCO) newsletter ‘In Touch’ and a founding member of the Grey-Bruce Spiritual Network (GBSN). Download and enjoy a free sample of her book at: www.SueCrutcher.com
At the beginning of my recent book, “Health & Wellness Made Simple”, I use a little picture of a fairy and state:
‘whenever you see this little fairy is it is a representation of ME granting YOU permission to choose any of the suggestions mentioned without guilt. I have found this to be an important concept in mentoring – people seem to need ‘permission’ from an outside source. At least until they learn to give themselves that same permission. Please note the ‘without guilt’ part – that’s just as important, if not more so, than the permission itself.’
So, here she is:
‘PERMISSION GRANTED’ fairy PICTURE ... sorry, couldn't get her to co-operate ... she's being photo shy today I guess
You can find her with in my book excerpt at: http://www.suecrutcher.com/Book_Excerpts.html
I hereby grant you permission to book your choice of 5 minutes to 15 minutes in your day timer right now as your ‘day off’ – time to utilize as you see fit … doing what you want. Perhaps, it’s doing nothing at all. Just sitting there, dreaming of possibilities. Whether you happen to believe it or not, day dreaming is important! We’re going to delve into that a little deeper shortly.
In the meantime – take out your day timer NOW. Schedule your block of time (whatever amount you are absolutely sure you will be able to manage and succeed to doing). Remember – this is a baby step to success – make it teensy weensy. It is irrelevant at this point how long the time frame is. It is the actual scheduling and the following through that is important. Why is scheduling and following through more important than the amount of time? Because, scheduling and following through represent action. Action is extremely important in anything we do.
Try to give yourself permission to enjoy the 5 minutes (or 15 minutes). It’s a way to revitalize and regenerate a little. If you can’t, as yet, give yourself permission – accept my permission for you to enjoy the timeframe.
To your success!
Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert
Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach
Permission to reprint. This article (and all articles on this blog) is copyrighted by Susan Crutcher. You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety as long as you include the following credit with the article:
Susan Crutcher is the author of “Health & Wellness Made Simple” and is currently working on a series of self empowerment books which all incorporate her baby steps to success theory. She is a life empowerment mentor, health and wellness coach, baby steps to success expert and motivational speaker, is certified in personal training and over a dozen complementary care modalities with over 30 years of teaching experience. Susan is manager of Greystone Retreat (a luxury rental home on Georgian Bay), co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities Inc (holistic education), editor of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario (RRCO) newsletter ‘In Touch’ and founding member of the Grey-Bruce Spiritual Network (GBSN). Download and enjoy a free sample of her book at: www.SueCrutcher.com
When is your ‘day off’?
What do you mean you don’t have a day off?
This is a huge, important step in your self care.
A day off doesn’t necessarily mean doing nothing. It means you get to do what you want when you want.
Consider this: if you are not important enough to yourself to warrant time to do what you want when you want and to know where your boundaries are, how do you expect others to respect those areas of your life? You can’t. It’s that simple. You have not set an example to yourself or to them.
Now, I know that starting with an entire day off may appear selfish and beyond either your capability or imagination at this point.
So, start with a baby step to success.
If you think about it …could you manage to book just 5 minutes in your day timer – an actual appointment with yourself – where you shut the door, do not answer the phone, do not pick up messages, do not check emails, do not allow any interruptions whatsoever for any reason. Yes, actually write it in your day timer. It is a real appointment.
To make it easier, block this 5 minutes before you start work, at the very beginning or end of your lunch break, or at the end of your day. Try it for a week. The next week (or, depending on how long you need to adapt, the next month) make the appointment with yourself 10 minutes. Then, when you are ready, expand the appointment to 15 minutes and so on as you feel comfortable.
You may want to try getting up that much earlier in the morning so you have true quiet and reflective time. I realize that for many people, quiet in itself can be scary. Self reflection can be even scarier. It takes time to get used to.
So, for now, don’t think about the quiet or the self-reflective part of it. Instead, do something to occupy your time to yourself … something that benefits or relaxes you. Suggestions include: reading a chapter in a favourite book, going for a short walk, tilting your chair back and dreaming about some future goal that may seem unachievable but that you would enjoy … a vacation in your mind to an island paradise or touring around in your favourite vehicle without a care in the world as examples.
There is much more to consider along this thought line but we’ll stop here for today.
To your success!
Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert
Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach
Permission to reprint. This article (and all articles on this blog) is copyrighted by Susan Crutcher. You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety as long as you include the following credit with the article:
Susan Crutcher is the author of “Health & Wellness Made Simple” and is currently working on a series of self empowerment books which all incorporate her baby steps to success theory. She is a life empowerment mentor, health and wellness coach, baby steps to success expert and motivational speaker, is certified in personal training and over a dozen complementary care modalities with over 30 years of teaching experience. Susan is manager of Greystone Retreat (a luxury rental home on Georgian Bay), co-founder of Academy of Holistic Modalities Inc (holistic education), editor of the Reflexology Registration Council of Ontario (RRCO) newsletter ‘In Touch’ and founding member of the Grey-Bruce Spiritual Network (GBSN). Download and enjoy a free sample of her book at: www.SueCrutcher.com
The next few blogs are going to be relative to self care. We’ve already started the topic the other day when I was whining about being sick. I haven’t had a cold in three years and it really wasn’t all that bad – an ear infection and sinus congestion.
So, here I am a little over a week later. No longer ill. And thankful for that!
We are in South Carolina today on vacation for a few weeks so my blogs will be a little sporadic as I do not have regular internet access. This is self-care for us – my husband, our puppy, Emily, and I out in our motor coach touring around the country side.
Sadly, we chose a rainy week all the way down here from Ontario (where the sun has been shining and the weather gorgeous since we left). However, it is still beautiful – especially through the mountains and seeing the green of spring rear its head as we go further south.
Time to get back to the laundry – I’m practicing driving standard in our Miata convertible going back and forth to switch loads – so I have to run. Then back to heat up homemade leek/mushroom soup for lunch ; make custard with bananas for dessert at supper; and whip up some oatmeal cookies. The coach is really just a VERY small version of home. In some ways it’s great. In others, it’s much the same (as in household tasks).
To self care!
CREATE a fabulous day!
Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert
Life Empowerment Mentor, Health & Wellness Coach
What do you do to relax?
I enjoy taking pictures -- especially nature. Today, I've attached a couple I took recently: one is my beautiful puppy Emily and the other is a bald eagle spotted just 4km down our road (it was out in front of our house but that picture didn't turn out very well). I use these (on rotation) as screen savers for my computer and also have them saved to make a calendar for my family this upcoming Christmas. I just got an awesome deal on a 11x17 printer so I can do the calendars myself this year! Looking forward to that...
Susan Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert
PS -- on Saturday, I had a booth at a local wellness fair where I handed out copies of an excerpt from my new book "Health & Wellness Made Simple". To download (or view) a PDF version, go here: http://suecrutcher.com/Book_Excerpts.html While you're there -- check out the new website and let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks.
Today would not be a good day to operate heavy equipment! Luckily, it isn’t required of me either considering how I’m still feeling. I would be an absolute hazard.
Did you block off some time for self-care on this week’s calendar?
Pardon? You don’t have time for self-care?
Do you have time to be wiped out for a few days flat on your back? Often when we shirk on our self care, this is exactly what happens. We push ourselves until we drop – literally.
As I’ve apparently developed a sinus congestion/head cold, today’s schedule is: work 2 hours, sleep 1; repeat. It’s the same schedule I had yesterday and it’s allowing me to plod through my commitments.
Thursday I have booked a chiropractic adjustment and a one hour massage therapy session. Massage gets blocked in a minimum of once a month and usually every three weeks. It keeps me sane and mobile.
Take a moment, right now, and make an appointment with yourself this week (preferably today) for something you enjoy – it could be an extra-long lunch, a walk in the park, a manicure, time out to read a favourite book or magazine, whatever works for you. Then, and this is the biggie, keep the appointment. It’s part of learning to create boundaries and knowing where they are. More on that later…
To you!
Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert
One of the first precepts we teach in the complementary health care field is the importance of ‘self care’. Although the importance is recognized by almost everyone, over time, many forget as they get caught up in the ever-constant swirl of events in life. It doesn’t matter if you come from a health care background or not … the premise is true for everyone. If you don’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of others? This is true at all levels: spiritual, emotional, mental and physical. As many of you know by now, I believe in a holistic approach to life. For today, however, I want to focus on the physical level. It is the easiest to understand and the best way to actually see the ‘fruits’ of our efforts. When you have a cold or flu, what do you do for you? Do you fight it for all you’re worth, keep dragging your sorry self to work (spreading germs and sucking energy from others), berate yourself for being ill … or … do you take a ‘time out’ and recuperate? For reasons unknown, I came down with a flu or cold yesterday – it’s still at the point where I can’t tell which it actually is. I spent the day swaddled in blankets and extra sweaters in front of my computer in my office accomplishing minor tasks that required low brain power; had chicken noodle soup for lunch and finally, around 2pm, broke down and had a one hour nap. That helped immensely. I felt better for several hours. Today I am feeling even less energetic so I’m really going to coddle myself more: spent extra time lounging in bed (didn’t get up until 7am today); had a long hot tub; checked on and watered geranium seedlings; decided not to do the errands I had planned in town (I moved them to Tuesday on my calendar); paid my bills online and filed everything; and am planning on a nap very shortly. The rest of the day is in limbo – although napping is a high possibility. I have learned from past experience, that the best thing to do when feeling tired and run down is to take a break – give myself permission to have an hour, a few hours or even a full day of doing absolutely nothing with no plans whatsoever. To me nothing means no scheduling more than anything else. How are you feeling today? How long has it been since you gave yourself a ‘time out’? If you can’t remember, get your planner out right now and block off an hour sometime over the next week (today, of course, would be best!). Make an appointment with yourself to do nothing. Have no plans or ideas for that timeframe at all. You’ll be surprised how one hour to yourself can make a huge difference on your psyche. I'm off to take a nap … Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert PS -- check out this excerpt from my new book, entitled 'Health & Wellness Made Simple' which follows along the 'Baby Steps to Success' theory that is incorporated into this blog: http://www.suecrutcher.com/hwms.html
. Note: some of the links referring to my website do not as yet exist so don’t be alarmed when you don’t find them. Naturally, your comments are welcome and appreciated.
So sorry for the looonnnggggg delay in writing my blog. Today (and, hopefully, only today), I am very sick -- had to have two naps already -- with a cold, ear infection and general stunned feeling. Luckily, you can't catch that from the net! So, since I’m just lounging around and not too energetic, I’m slowly catching up on little details – like POSTING to the blog. You wouldn’t believe how long it took me to find my password information!
I see that most of you have been very, very busy blogging away. I must congratulate each of you -- I know how difficult it is to keep up with this course and life in general. KUDOS to all of you!
I will be checking in once a week now on everyone's blogs and commenting. Hopefully, you'll find time to check on mine occasionally as well. It is appreciated.
In the meantime, I've been pretty busy...
Lots of webstuff in the works and, not surprisingly, heading a slightly different direction.
My new book is almost complete (has to be done by this weekend as I am distributing copies at a health fair next weekend)! If I apply enough pressure for myself, I do get things done. It is entitled 'Health & Wellness Made Simple' and follows along the 'Baby Steps to Success' theory that is incorporated into this blog. It is divided into two sections: (1) health and wellness and (2) self-esteem and empowerment. I have posted it at: http://www.suecrutcher.com/hwms.html if you would like to download a pdf version of an excerpt from the book. Note: some of the links referring to my website do not as yet exist so don’t be alarmed when you don’t find them. Naturally, your comments are welcome and appreciated.
As you will see, I took the time out to get a professional photo done in anticipation of publishing my book. I was very pleased with the end result. It was reasonably priced for the amount of work that went into it, but still a hefty bite out of the wallet.
I've also been working on an entire book series along the same line that will be used in a couple of ways (currently planned anyway): portions as an e-course and an expanded version as books. It is my intention to have a blog along the same general theme.
There's been lots of personal stuff -- all of you know all about that! It looks like, once more -- and almost a YEAR since I simultaneously (and that was a mistake) signed up for Kevin Hogan's web and book writing courses. You think I’d learn – right now, I’m signed up for 3 simultaneous courses (again)!
Trust you have all been well and that life is treating you fabulously.
Look for the beginning of a new series of Baby Steps to Success starting next week.
To your success!
Susan Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert, Life Empowerment Mentor
I’ve checked back to when I posted the blog regarding increasing your water by ¼ to ½ cup daily – it’s been at least 5 weeks now.
Have you followed through?
If you have, you are up to an extra 1-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups more than you were drinking just over a month ago and making great progress. See how easy it is?
For those who haven’t been taking the ‘baby steps to success’ for a healthy lifestyle – start today. I was at a seminar a few years ago where the guest speaker said that most diseases would be helped if people would simply increase their water intake. Naturally, because it’s such a simple solution, people choose not to do it. Will you be one of those who choose not to at least try a simple solution? Or, will you be proactive?
Start today. In fact, start now. Go get yourself a glass of water. Sip it while you’re typing your next blog entry. One down … ‘x’ to go!
“Create a fabulous day!”
Sue Crutcher, Baby Steps to Success Expert,
