Recently I’ve been watching a show called S.W.A.T. (not the long ago t.v. series) and saw how the “negotiators” interacted with those barricaded with or without hostages.

I realize they only show bits and pieces of what’s really going on and what’s really being said yet, from what they show it’s just textbook training, not life. If they talked to me when I was suicidal I’d have killed myself ~ as many of them do. Why? They show no compassion for what’s going on with the ~ hmmm, don’t know what to call him (it’s usually a “him”… so, I’ll just call him “perp” unless I come up with something better before finishing this.)

Himself and I talked about how I’d probably be a really good negotiator ~ left to my own devices, especially having dealt with suicidal depression. Why? Because I know what it felt like to always feel like no one is on your side; everything you do is wrong; what’s the point in going on?

I was considering this and wondering what changed for me? Why did I, all of a sudden, stop feeling that death was the only way out?

Well, one thing was was when I was 13, I was considering ways to do it and I thought that if I had the courage to kill myself, then, I also had the courage to live and find out where my life was going to go. (A thought I remembered numerous times throughout my life.) (Also, if you want to call suicide “the coward’s way out” think about how you are afraid to leave that job or that lousy relationship because your monkey mind is saying that “something is better than nothing” or “being alone is worse” or, the “the next one might be worse”, etc. Even though it’s where we originally came from, death is as unknown to us as life is. It takes courage to die especially by one’s own hand. LMAO! I’m just remembering that I thought I was such a screw up that I probably couldn’t even kill myself right and would end up being a vegetable for the rest of my life. One more thought that kept me alive.)

Not sure where I’m going with this other than one thought was, if one kills him/herself, they may miss that great turnaround where life becomes joy!

Oh! I know why I started this. I was thinking about gang members and how they feel they HAVE to join a gang in order to survive where they are. Many of them are amazingly intelligent, very sensitive and scared.

They often have to create this persona of toughness just to stay alive when in reality, they’re not who they appear to be externally.

What turned my life around was in finding who I really am, not who I pretended to be. When my teacher first told me “you don’t know who you are”, I had no idea what he was talking about. Of COURSE I know who I am. Well, I didn’t. I felt I had to BE tough in order to survive. Well, not true. I have to be me in order to thrive!

Injoy,

Revvell

Bodacious Living

There are so many factors when it comes to aging well.

The basics of course, food, rest and movement.

Today, I’ll be talking about movement.

Playing off of my “use to” (I’ve been corrected that it should be “used to” )~ blog, it’s really been made clear to me that there is a LOT to consider if one wants to age gracefully.

Next time you go somewhere where there are a lot of people, watch them. Watch how they move, how they stand, how they sit, how they get back up.

A sure sign of aging is inflexibility and lack of mobility.

When I trained with my teacher originally, we were inside. We were doing a lot of movement on the floor ~ yoga, bodyweight moves, ground engagement, etc. I was proud of the fact that I could get up off the floor very gracefully, using no hands while others younger than I struggled. Then we moved outside where we were doing qigong. We rarely got on the ground.

During that time, I was walking/running the hills around my home so, thinking I was getting in some really good movement.. and basically, IF I want to compare myself to others, I was. BUT…

I was missing weight-bearing exercises and floor movement.

I found that out when we began using kettlebells and iron clubs and also, doing ground engagement.

Now, I “used to” train with free weights for up to 6 hours a day. The problem with free weights and machines is, they isolate the muscle thereby making them really non-functional. No one lifts things that way in reality.

Case in point. My training partner was about 5′2″ and built like a fire hydrant. All muscle. He went to work for his father one day and the next he was sore and humbled. He couldn’t do half the work the thin, muscular guys who knew how to use their whole body did because he only knew how to use his arms.

That’s why I like kettlebells. If one is trained properly in their use, they use EVERY part of the body for the lift. I’ve seen many use them as they would free weights though, lifting with just arms instead of leg drive.

Personally, I feel if someone is going to do just one type of exercise/movement, some form of hatha yoga would fulfill pretty much everything in the title here. Add some walking to get outdoors and breath some fresh air, hiking up and down hills and you’re in business.

The only thing I would caution against in doing yoga is, I’ve seen many get to the point of flacidity instead of flexibility.

For those who want to play with various items as I do, Indian clubs are truly fun. They offer a wide range of upper body movements to open up the whole chest and back/shoulder area. One also needs co-ordination to perfect them.

After getting Indian clubs down, iron clubs provide even more fun. Similar to kb’s (kettlebells), you need to use your whole body to utilize them effectively and efficiently. Just a few minutes of a good iron club workout maximizes your health benefits more than an hour of free weights will because it’s a whole body workout.

What’s interesting to me is how people still subscribe to the “workout/rest/workout/rest” day theory.

When we were children, we didn’t take a day off from play. We played until we were exhausted, then got up the next day to do it again. When did that stop? Why? Because it became “EXERCISE!”. Who wants to do that?

My suggestion, find things to do that to you are fun. For me, learning how to handle kb’s, iron clubs, my own body, is FUN!

Remember when you were a kid? Did you play sword fighting with other kids? Take two sticks and just play? Well, that’s what I’m doing now with Kali sticks.

I’m going back to my martial arts roots and learning how to stick fight. Martial arts were originally used to keep in shape then they realized they could be used to fight. For me, I figure I’ll never get into another fight and probably never be attacked but, why not learn something that could be of potential use instead of movement just for the sake of it?

O.k., I’m all over the blog with this but, it was fun and IF you get something out of it, so be it.

I’ve got more to say on the topic but I want to keep this fairly short sooo, later for now.

Remeber, live bodaciously and celebrate your potential ~

Revvell

Bodacious Living

Things don’t really irk me much and once I write this out, it’ll be GONE! DONE! I don’t dwell anymore like I use to because life is SO grand and wonder-filled that I just don’t have time for it so, gonna put it out here and let it go!

(What I’m doing here is showing you how to live a stress-free life! So many would let something like this go on and on in their heads for DAYS! … and be binging while doing it. lol)

Anyway, I put out my blog from yesterday on a few sites I’m on and received some truly great responses. Thank you!

Today, I received a response from one person saying she was “shocked” at the price of my program! (What?? It’s too low? heh!) Well, I have to say, I’m shocked that she is shocked! (How’s that for a comeback? )

Since reading that, I’ve looked at it in various ways (this is good for you to do if you are planning programs yourself).

First, let’s start with my training. I began researching health and healing about 34 years ago. I spent 16 years in “formal” training which cost me literally thousands of dollars. I’ve got books, dvds, cds (again, investments of THOUSANDS of dollars) and articles (o.k., basically free except for the paper I printed them out on and the ink to print) which I’ve studied.

For 34 years I’ve used myself as the guinea pig in healing asthma, allergies, infections, depression, injuries, excess weight and more caused by various things including food choices, societal imprints, emotions and unawareness/consciousness.

I’ve got knowledge I’ve gained through my own study as well as knowledge gained from other people and their studies, knowledge and wisdom. I’ve got understanding from my own healings plus the hundreds of students and clients I’ve worked with. I’ve got wisdom from just staying alive for 60 plus years and the ongoing healing and health I’m experiencing.

So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The price of “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight“. Pretty much the price people charge for their trainings/coachings/teleclasses/webinars, etc. is arbitrary. If you ask them, I’m guessing they probably can’t tell you how they came up with their price.

Recently I paid $1995 for a program that was supposed to help me be a better marketer. I was sorely disappointed. The first few sessions were quite good. After she got past the “100% guarantee” part of the program (if you didn’t feel you were receiving your money’s worth by a certain time, you could receive your money back) the program went down-hill. It was sad. The first hour of the final 90 minutes of the program, she might just as well have been off the call. She even admitted she wasn’t only not present mentally, she was looking at her other site! The final half hour of that 90 minute session she spent upselling her next program. The “bonus” hour we received she spent ~ yes, upselling her next program.

I don’t DO that! The whole time, I am present; I am available, everyone interacts with me. At NO time do I spend time upselling my next, newest program. (I don’t HAVE one ~ well, not yet, anyway.)

Let’s break it down financially ~

The program runs 6 weeks with each call lasting approximately 90 minutes, PLUS, 2 half-hour one-on-one calls with me.

That’s a full 9 hours of semi-private interactive work/play PLUS, 1 full hour of private. That breaks down to $30 per hour. (I’ve never done this and am now thinking ~ I really need to raise my price EXCEPT! I want to make this affordable to as many people as possible!)

Add in the time I spend preparing for each session and the time I spend after, cleaning up the notes and adding in whatever I feel can make it even more informational and the hourly to me is even less.

ALSO, my engineer takes time out of HIS life to edit the audio and post it so participants can listen to it any time they feel to for FREE (to me). (Very often we’ll miss or forget something that happened that could be very relevant to one’s process so, it’s best to listen to the audio repeatedly).

*big sigh* Wow! O.k! I’m feeling better now.

On to what I REALLY wanted to write about today (which will most likely be uploaded tomorrow. Wait for it!)

Until then,

Yours in health,

Revvell

Bodacious Living

I awakened this morning contemplating weight gain. How fun is that? lol

There are a few ways and reasons I gained in the first place.

First was possibly menopause yet, I’m not sure of that one. I hadn’t gained before I got married at 55 and I’d gone into it a few years before OR, maybe I just didn’t notice which we’ll get into in a bit ~ the noticing, I mean.

One thing I’m sure of is going out and eating. Once I realized how much I’d gained since getting married (we could blame the marriage yet, that would be the surface, same as most dieters do ~ blame the food), being me, I had to really look at my habits, my new cravings and my emotional eating patterns.

What happened was, 6 years or so ago, I met a man I wanted in my life forever. I’d ALWAYS said, I saw no purpose in ever getting married and, that was true, until we met.

After knowing him for about 10 months or so, I was headed over to his home country to meet his friends and family as well as visit his country.

A few weeks before going over, he told me that he’d called the embassy about how he could come to the U.S. and stay with me. Their response “Marry her”. When he told me this, I asked “Well, do you want to?” He said “what”? Me ~ “Get married?”. I think he said something like “well, I guess so”. Anyway, he started the paperwork on his end with the outcome being we’d get married in Denmark, then go to Copenhagen where I had to file to get him over here.

So, that’s the background story ~ now, the fat part.

In all my life I’d never been in a REALY healthy relationship. Every relationship I’d been in, I gave up me to be with he meaning none of what I did was as important as what he was doing so, I’d always get involved.

This relationship began similarly. First, I dropped my healthy eating habits. I still stayed vegetarian yet, when we went out to eat, which was often, I’d eat things I normally wouldn’t and I’d overeat. If/when we go to buffets, I felt I had to eat enough to get his money’s worth. Even when full, I’d finish because I didn’t want to leave food I’d chosen, on the plate AND, I’d always have dessert. Not much but SOME!

Secondly, even when we went out to a sit-down meal and was given more than I could eat, I’d finish it because “it’s only a few bites” ~ no matter how full I was.. “it’s only a few bites”. Well, those “few bites” cost in weight gain. If we’d only gone out occasionally, there probably would not have been an issue. Since we went out often…

Thirdly, I use to get up and out walking every morning, first thing. Did not turn on the computer, did not eat, did not do anything but get up, get out and get walking! Where I lived, there was a mountain “loop” where I could go up one side, down the other. It’s about 4.5 miles. When I didn’t do that, I lived in a hilly area and could do a different walk almost every day of the week.

After getting married I loved sleeping in and cuddling with him. I vowed I’d get out and walk later. Well, “later” rarely came. In the summer it was too hot. If I didn’t get out early, I didn’t get out. We’d also moved to a “flat” area which to me, was boring so, I’d talk myself out of walking. If I wanted to train with kbs, ropes, etc. I really needed to take everything to a park. Being the lazy wench I’d become… that rarely happened.

One night in class my teacher said 4 of us, including himself were overweight. I was one. When he asked how much I thought I could lose I said “about 20 pounds”. He said “try 25″. Yikes!!!! (He was being generous. It was actually 30).

One thing I really got was how easy it is to gain and not notice! Previously it was SO easy for me to drop weight. So easy in fact that, I’d not notice until someone pointed it out to me (which is the same thing that happened with the gain). At that time, when I was emotional about something (which was often), I’d not eat, therefore, weight loss! Now, when I’m upset, I’ve developed patterns of eating and overeating; comfort and habitual eating.

If you do it slow enough, when you go clothes shopping and you’ve gone up a size, you can rationalize that it’s a different manufacturer and their sizes run small.

So, between eating out often, eating and overeating for emotional reasons, cleaning my plate and not moving ~ as I use to … weight happened.

Oh! the other thing is, as I’d mentioned, I’d not been in a really good relationship EVER! Think there might be some unconscious “protection” going on?

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about weight elimination. In the meantime, feel free to check out my program and find out how to eliminate weight, stay on a healthy food program and drop the cravings, habits and and emotional eating patterns that lead to excess weight gain and sabotage your new year’s resolutions.

Until tomorrow ~

Revvell

Bodacious Living

When I first began learning EFT, I had a hard time with tapping on the negative part of the sentences. For so many years, I’ve been saying “Acknowledge but don’t focus” and here, we’re saying something negative and tapping on it?? To me, that was like tapping the negative INTO myself and I had SO much resistance.

What I have found since then though is that the reason we say the negative is to acknowledge and accept where we are. For instance, if someone says, “Even though I constantly self-sabotage…” that’s just saying what we’ve done previously… up to now… then we switch to “…. I choose to stay focused on the results and support myself completely”. That changes the energy via our words AND the tapping.

What we’re saying is I know what I need to work on; I acknowledge and accept I do this and, now, I’m changing it. Make sense?

It’s as though I’m in Connecticut and I want to go to Nevada. Well, if I don’t know, acknowledge and accept where I am, how can I get where I want to go? If I “wish” I were somewhere else, it’s not going to help. Saying I “wish” I were in California and I want to go to Nevada, then I’d be traveling east yet, I’m REALLY in Ct. and if I travel east, I’m I’ll end up in the ocean rather than Nevada, correct? So! First step ~ Acknowledge and accept where you are now to get you where you want to go.

I understand many have an issue with the word “accept”, as well. They think if they accept something, that means they don’t/wont change it. One definition of accept is “…to regard as true..”. So, all we’re doing is saying “this is true ~ now”. It doesn’t mean it will always be true. Some examples of this would be: “currently I am 100 pounds more than MY ideal weight…”; “currently, I have a tendency to sabotage my successes…”; “currently, I’m in a less than ideal relationship…”. That’s it! Currently! It doesn’t mean you can’t, wont or are unwilling to change. It’s just a place to start.

I’ve also found many have a problem tapping on the positive… “I totally and completely love and accept myself.” There’s a little voice inside that says… “.. no you don’t…” which is why so many of us self-sabotage and cannot be the weight we’d like to be, have the health we’d like to have or the other successes. We feel we don’t deserve.

One of the high points for one of my students was when she stopped reaching for the ice cream whenever she was stressed because she chose that ending (or something similar) whenever she tapped. She came to class and she was astounded at her success saying she’d NEVER felt love for herself until she tapped on that for a week.

What’s interesting too is how so many wont do the tapping. They’re resistant and will say things like “this is silly”; “this wont work, etc.” which is fine. EFT doesn’t need to be believed to “work” or make a difference. All I say is, do it and find out for yourself.

I even have a couple of students who call themselves “shower tappers”. They’ll do it in the shower yet feel silly doing it in front of anyone. Others tap anytime, anyplace, especially when they’re feeling unhealthy (for them) cravings coming up or anxiety coming up which leads to self-sabotage.

A quick definition of Emotional Freedom Technique or, EFT is a simple, direct approach to release and redirect blocked energy patterns in the body/mind. Some call it acupuncture without needles.

Founder Gary Craig explains it thusly: In essence, EFT is an emotional version of acupuncture wherein we stimulate certain meridian points by tapping on them with our fingertips. This addresses a new cause for emotional issues (unbalanced energy meridians). Properly done, this frequently reduces the therapeutic process from months or years down to hours or minutes. And, since emotional stress can contribute to pain, disease and physical ailments, we often find that EFT provides astonishing physical relief.

What’s great about it is, once you learn it, you can tap on anything to resolve numerous issues which is why on my “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight” page, I tell you you’ll be able to keep and use the tools I’ll be teaching during the live, interactive teleclass. EFT is only ONE of the tools I’ll be sharing.

For those who are interested in eliminating excess weight and the habits, cravings and emotional eating patterns that constantly sabotage diet and weight loss endeavors, my “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight” teleclass series begins Tuesday, Jan. 12, 5 p.m. Pacific; 8 p.m. Eastern. As I work individually with each person throughout the program, space is limited AND you’ll save $50 if you register before Jan. 1, 2010 (if seating lasts that long). Let this be the last year you put “go on a diet” as one of your new year’s resolutions!

One of the fears I encounter with people who are interested in joining my program is, that they can’t have something. What happens when emotions come up and they can’t have that comfort food? Those starches? That chocolate? or, whatever it is they crave?

Well, the difference between my program and weight loss diets is, there is no “can’t have”. What it will come down to is “want to have”.

One of the most exciting moments (which continues on today) is when I “thought” I was hungry and “thought” I wanted cheese or bread, etc. and, I opened the fridge and realized “well, I CAN have this but, I don’t want it!!!” Next thought, “what is it I do want or need?”

Most of the time, when we’re addicted to food as our drug, we reach and eat before having time to decide on other options! With TIYIW, the cravings are eliminated and the joy of knowing you have choices remains! IF you still want the drug, you CAN have it. If not, the joy of knowing YOU are in control, supersedes whatever else was going on.

Being in control = self-empowerment.

This is why so many “fall off” their food programs ~ raw, or otherwise. They often feel deprived. They have it in their monkey mind that they can never have this or that. Well, we can ALWAYS have something. I’ve given myself permission to have anything I want. Our little monkey minds are like two year olds. Tell them they can’t have something and they want it even more.

Now mine wanted things I don’t normally even eat! I’ve RARELY ever wanted potato chips but, tell my lil monkey “you can’t have” and boyyyyy, she wants ‘em! (my husband often keeps strange things in our home ~ like ‘tato chips)

With EFT and other energy therapies, we become more aware of the cravings, habits and emotional eating patterns, often eliminating them completely. Now, for me, those things I craved, I don’t even want. They don’t look like food to me. When I AM hungry, I’ve got luscious food already prepared so I am good-to-go.

I invite you to stop the cravings, the habits and the emotional eating/overeating by joining (click there —->) “Tap Into Your Ideal Weight“. There’s a money back guarantee if you don’t feel it’s bringing you what YOU want!

Injoy,

Revvell

Last Monday night when training with my teacher and the group, I noticed that my teacher was looking like he’d gained some weight.

After class we were talking and he’d mentioned he’d gained back about 8-10 pounds (try 20, to my eye BUT, I didn’t notice it last week!)

He told me he realized it wasn’t about the food; he’d not been doing his former habit of binging and throwing up BUT he was overeating. What he did realize, for himself was that it was about having the good. This makes sense because when we reach a certain level of good which is beyond what we think we “should” have or deserve, we become anxious and will do SOMEthing to quel the anxiety. For many of us, it’s eat!

Well, last night I was contemplating our conversation and at one level, I do agree, it’s not about the food YET, many of us are addicted to certain foods we turn to when we’ve got emotions we can’t handle, rewards we give ourselves, etc. For many, it’s chocolate. For me, and others of course, it was starches. Give me pizza, pasta, potatoes.. anything white. At one time it was sugar.

I’d also had problems with cheese.

Before getting married, most of these were not an issue because I didn’t have them in my home. After getting married ~ well, he’s the original pizza man. He loves his pizza, his pasta, his bread and cheese.

For awhile, I was into the cheese, bread, pasta and pizza myself. Any wonder after eating raw for so long I gained weight?

So, what to do. Oh! btw, it wasn’t JUST the food! It was also the fact that I’d gotten married to someone I barely knew (met on the internet and he lived in another country and much of our communication was via email, phone calls, vid cams, etc.) after NEVER having had decent relationship that lasted more than 3 months. Think I wasn’t doing some emotional eating? Uh huh!

Well, I tried using willpower. Opened fridge and would ask myself, “fit or fat”? Now, that brought SOME awareness to the issue because most of the time, I’d choose fit and it wasn’t cheese! BUT, when I was out of balance, “fit” went out the door and I rationalized… o.k., one slice of cheese wont hurt and, I’ll eat a salad. O.k., I’m putting LOTS of tomatoes, lettuce, cukes, etc. between the bread so, that’s o.k. Well, it wasn’t.

The next morning, I’m feeling mucusy and my eyes are all gummy and yucky, not to mention, the scale either wasn’t moving or, it was moving up! Not what I wanted.

So, what was the solution? It’s a combination of things. First off, bring more awareness to what I was eating when I ate it. I soon found that, there’s not much real taste to cheese. If this is your addiction, sit with a slice of cheese and just be with it. The texture is yucky and the taste? Might as well be eating tofu. Nasty!

Now, bread, pasta, etc. Sit with it; really chew it; savor it…. not much to savor is there? Mostly what these things are are transport vehicles. They transport the things that do taste good, to your mouth.

Think about what you’re eating when you eat pasta. Italian name for paste. Flour and water. Remember as a kid we use to make that? Bread? Basically the same thing. Not much flavor, not many nutrients.

O.k., so, that’s dealing with the food itself.

What I HAVE found though is, the monkey mind looks in the fridge and the cheese is at eye level so, when IT wants some cheese I basically have to remind myself, I REALLY don’t like it! Why eat something I don’t like? Where’s the satisfaction? Not to mention, how I feel the next day (isn’t that the way with addicts? They usually feel crappy the next day after they indulge in their addiction?)

Another thing to look at is, habits. When, where, why, how and what do I eat? Well, even though I’ve just finished eating not that long ago, I’d often find myself looking in the the fridge or on the counter for something to eat. Because of all the work I’ve been doing with myself, students and clients, I now, very often, check myself and ask, “wow! Am I even hungry?” Very often the answer is “noooo”. So, what is it? Very often I AM thirsty! But also, very often, something emotional has come up ~ and, it can be something very subtle that I’m not aware of ~ I just KNOW, I’m doing something out of balance and, I’m not hungry so there MUST be something going on. What to do? One of my favorite things is to walk. I have nothing much to distract me; I’m getting energy moving and, I’m talking to myself. Another, write. I tell my students and clients to write and do it often. Whenever you’re feeling out-of-sorts and reaching for the food, write it out.

Other things are energy therapy. Could be EFT, sentence completions, emcode, etc. Once I find out what’s going on, it’s easy to eliminate these things without succumbing to food!

For me, having so many tools and awarenesses available has been and is, such a blessing! I no longer just eat out of habit, cravings or due to emotions. I no longer get that “I don’t care ~ I’m eating it anyway” desperation.

Oh! One thing I REALLY got last night is when I was working with my teacher well over two decades ago, I had asthma so bad it almost killed me a couple of times. Almost every time we had a session, I’d have an attack. Now, we never did anything specifically with the asthma itself. We changed my food program and, eliminated my future nemisis’s (sp) wheat and dairy yet, I was still having issues with asthma so it HAD to be emotional.

Again, we didn’t do anything specific with the asthma. We worked in general to bring me fully ~ physically, mentally and emotionally ~ into balance.

I really got that in last night’s class. Much of the time we weren’t working specifically with weight. What we were working with was our self-esteem, our tendency to sabotage, our fears of success (and failure), etc. As we work together and bring our selves to more and more balance the weight will take care of itself as the asthma did because we wont NEED that crutch anymore!

For those who’ve read my post about my heart, when I really delved into that, I realized it was retracing from when I had the asthma. Some unconscious part of me was, in it’s own way, “trying” to keep me safe and my heart was weakened previously from the asthma. I’m going into new physical and mental/emotional territories and my doing so scared the crap out of parts of myself so, it created the heart stuff. The mental/emotional manifested the physical. Now that all that’s resolved mental/emotionally, my heart has stopped scaring itself ~ and me!

If interested in joining my teleclass, I’m beginning a new one Wed., Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. pacific time; 1p.m. eastern. I’m also available for one-on-one sessions. For more information on that, please go to Bodacious Living.

Thank you for taking the time to read all this.

Injoy,

Revvell