Wednesday, July 30, 2008

welcomed lessons

It was a beautiful day on the Bruce Peninsula. I had asked the attendant at an art gallery what was so outstanding that we shouldn't miss. Her answer was, the grotto- don't miss it. So, off to the grotto we went the next day.
The first treat was to see a Massassauga Rattlesnake, just off the trail. Live, wild, rattling!
When we arrived at the opening in the cliffs to go down into the grotto, I knew I would not be able to go down there. Too small, too tight, too scary. No, never. We were surrounded by too many people to count, most of them dropping down that hole without a second thought. When they heard my fears expressed, I was told, "It's a piece of cake!" "It's easier and safer than going down the cliff face!" "Easy!"
Yeh, right. I was about to do it when someone said that after the initial drop, it gets tight for a little while. Okay, forget it.
So I tried the cliff face. Forget that too. Back to the hole.
In the end, I did it. And it was a piece of cake. Easy. No sweat. The big take-away for me was the importance of all the camaraderie and support surrounding me by strangers.
I normally don't like going into nature with crowds of strangers. Nature is sacred to me, very personal, intimate.
Previously, I felt invaded by strangers. Not any more. I may still choose to be alone in nature, but I have a healthier attitude about being among others. I grew.
What happened next strengthened that new attitude.

Labels: challenge, fears, growth

posted by Susan Barker at 1:34 PM - 0 Comments - Links to this post

Thursday, July 17, 2008

summertime, and the living is easy

It's true!
And what is my conclusion about my 'trial week'? Not bad, but as Patch Adams says -or was it Deepak Chopra? - the smallest unit of human existence is two, not one. We are meant to be together.
However, being a true introvert, I appreciate time to myself. What better way to get to know oneself?! And, as I like to quote, "You will never perform consistently in a manner that is inconsistent with how you define yourself." (Zig Ziglar) So it is vitally important to know how you define yourself, and modify it if you don't like it, if what is coming to you in life is not what you truly want.
Easier said than done? No, I think not. It takes determination, and introspection, and honesty. It starts with knowing one's top values- "Know thyself." (Socrates) Did I mention personal coaching?

Labels: personal coaching, self-awareness

posted by Susan Barker at 7:29 AM - 1 Comments - Links to this post

Thursday, July 10, 2008

great week!

Conditioning- my new word for getting new habits ingrained. What I'm working on this week is establishing new beliefs about myself as someone that does act on the desire to have a good walk or swim several times each week. I love both, but find it's so easy to find excuses not to!

I have also found benefit in clearing space; maybe there is something to feng shui. It certainly helps me to be more focused to not have clutter and piles all around me. So now I can say about myself that I am someone that functions best in an organized, or at least clutter-free environment.

So what does all of this blathering have to do with my previous posts?! I think it is introspection I'm doing as a result of being on my own this week. Having this house to myself this week is a reduction in energy and mass within my environment, and I think it has contributed to me being more organized and having accomplished so much more.

What I'm getting out of this is getting clear-er on how I define myself. One of my favourite quotes: "You will never perform consistently in a manner that is inconsistent with how you define yourself." (Zig Ziglar) When I challenge myself, I can then add new data to my definition bank of who I am and how I am being in the world. I like what I've learned so far this week.

Labels: clutter, goals, habits

posted by Susan Barker at 7:59 PM - 0 Comments - Links to this post

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

weak trial week Day 2

At the end of last year I wrote up a list of goals, objectives to reach in 2008. New high standards to hold myself to. One was to not be lazy. This week I put it to the test. Yesterday I was well on my path of sticking to my principals: ate well, swam my first 45 minute swim across Meech Lake this season; didn't pine away for my beloved! Miss him, yes, but didn't suffer. I look forward to assessing my feelings at the end of the week- do I feel better because of honouring this powerful commitment to myself? Did it make any difference? Can I / will I continue on this course? Is it enough of a challenge? Would I benefit from a greater challenge?

Labels: goals, self-challenge

posted by Susan Barker at 11:27 AM - 0 Comments - Links to this post

Sunday, July 6, 2008

weak trial week -Day 1

He left me. Normally I am the one to take off, usually to visit my mother. Or to a hypnosis convention. Once to travel to Bulgaria for the Koprivshtitsa festival. Now it's his turn to leave me, for a 5-day Voyageur canoe trip, the "River Healing Journey". When he walked out the door to start the journey, my heart sank. My heart pained. My heart cried. Was it a mistake to stay home, using as my excuse the fact that I need to work for a living? Why wasn't I following my favourite advice, "Deny reality!"...?

Keep busy, I told myself. There is so much work to do around the house. I already had plans made to go up to Meech Lake in the morn for a swim. And the weather is so gorgeous now....make hay while the sun shines...Went for a bike ride to Britannia Beach. So many people.

Dinner: my main challenge. When I was single, I ate simply. Don spoils me, does most of the cooking, and keeps down (read: eliminates entirely) the 'fast food'. I now challenge myself to eat as well alone as I do when he is in charge. My trial. Tonight: salad (red leaf lettuce, arugala, and beet greens) from the garden, kale from the garden, leftover spaghetti, and for dessert raspberries from the garden mixed with strawberries and blueberries and vanilla ice cream with maple syrup on top. It was the article in today's newspaper about maple syrup that got me on to that. So the dessert was packed with nutrients!

I am convinced that any food that one can eat with pure delight is thereby packed with nutrients. Not all nutrients have chemical names. (In truth, joy, happiness, or contentment, from eating a good meal, spending time with friends, any pleasant activity, all kick in the happy hormones in our mindbody: chemicals.) Be happy. Find things that make you happy.

Keeping busy.... did some gardening, wondered where Don is, cleaned up the basement, wondered if Don put up the tent without help, blogged. Later, a movie...?

posted by Susan Barker at 2:32 PM - 0 Comments - Links to this post

Friday, July 4, 2008

great minds think alike!

In my coaching work, I put emphasis on several things, stress management, self-identity and play being extremely important. Recently I actually read the little study guide that came with Candace Pert's excellent audio book "The Body is Your Subconscious Mine" and found that her recommendations for healthier living by lowering stress levels are:
1: meditation
2: honesty, bringing us 'back to center', which means to me, being who we really are, true to our identity
3: play!

Great minds think alike!

Labels: Candace Pert, personal coaching, stress management

posted by Susan Barker at 6:36 AM - 0 Comments - Links to this post

Monday, April 21, 2008

boycott the insanity!

Yes, the idea came to me to unite as many people as possible in uniting the insanity with which we are bombarded daily. I speak of the myths perpetuated by the so-called experts, as well as those publishing the unsound findings of those so-called experts. Those that tell us we are supposed to age a certain way, believe certain myths, take so many years to heal of emotional trauma, not heal from this or that diagnoses, blah blah blah. Baloney.

Let's start demanding sound research studies that are reputable. If it hasn't been done, let's not accept the conclusion someone made simply because they studied a lot of text books and paid a lot of tuition to graduate with a certain sheepskin. Education does not equal intelligence.

So I say, let's boycott all stupid beliefs and all stupid teachings and myths. If a study hasn't been done taking into account MY subconscious mind and the wealth of power which therein lies, then the findings of that study are not applicable to me. Period. Let's stop believing that antibiotics and anti-depressants and invasive surgery and invasive childbirth are normal and necessary .

Labels: health, medical myths, medical research

posted by Susan Barker at 1:02 PM - 0 Comments - Links to this post