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Merry Christmas

Are You Finishing 2022 Rested or Finishing Strong?

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Are You Finishing 2022 Rested or Finishing Strong?

We often hear about “finishing the year strong” – I don’t know about you, but this year I just want to finish the year feeling rested, clear and peaceful.

My goal is to step into the New Year RESTED.

Because rested IS strong, right?

Merry Christmas

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is my favorite week of the year (Yep, I like it even more than my birth-week!). Maybe it’s your fave too? Because usually nothing is scheduled that week. It’s like getting a bonus week where I can rest, play, review my past year and plan for the next one.

One thing I do during that “bonus” week is – Go through the months in my past calendar.
I review each week and each activity.

I ask myself these three questions:

  • Did this activity energize me?
  • Did this activity drain me?
  • Did this activity help me align with my values & goals?

It’s super helpful to see where I spent time, and how that helped or hindered me, which is useful in planning for the upcoming year.

If you’ve never done this, I highly recommend it. Keep in mind, you need to set aside a few hours for it. And when you do this and then schedule for 2023, -to the extent you can- schedule in more of what energizes you and less of what drains you.

TIP: These three questions also make an excellent evening journal prompt. It helps you realize real quick where you’re spending time that isn’t making you feel good or moving you forward so you can adjust accordingly.

During December’s last week, in addition to reviewing, visioning, and planning I also just love the downtime. This poem by Edgar Guest makes me smile, I included it because I thought you might like it too.

(You may have heard of Edgar A Guest (1881-1959), he became known as ‘the people’s poet’ because his poems often had an inspirational and optimistic view of everyday life).


The happiest nights I ever know
Are those when I have no place to go,

And the missus says when the day is through:
“Tonight we haven’t a thing to do.”

Oh, the joy of it, and the peace untold
Or sitting ‘round in my slippers old,

With my pipe and book in my easy chair,
Knowing I needn’t go anywhere.

Needn’t hurry my evening meal
Nor force the smiles that I do not feel,

But can grab a book from a nearby shelf,
And drop all sham and be myself.

Oh, the charm of it and the comfort rare;
Nothing on earth with it can compare;

And I’m sorry for him who doesn’t know
The joy of having no place to go.

Edgar A. Guest


As you enjoy Christmas this weekend do your best to prioritize some rest for yourself. And block out time on your next week’s schedule for reviewing, dreaming, planning, and just “sitting ‘round in your slippers old”.


Much Love,
Carolyn

Intuition Quiz

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SimplyAlign cerTrac - WAITLIST - (Facebook Post)

10 Reasons to Do a Detox in January

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Happy New Year ~ I hope your holidays were delightful!

As you’re setting new goals for the year, on your goal list do you have anything about losing weight or getting healthy? If so you’re not alone, most people do include that in their goals!

If your health isn’t where you want it to be — or you want to do your best to protect it — it’s important to discover the truth about human detoxification. But, there are a lot of opinions and products out there. And not only could you lose money, but detoxing the wrong way can be harmful.

My colleague Robyn Openshaw, the GreenSmoothieGirl, has studied human detoxification for 10,000 hours (more time than she spent studying for her master’s and PhD combined), including time she spent studying with holistic doctors and clinicians around the world.

Hubby and I have been doing this detox twice a year for the past 3 years.

We love it, and that’s why I love to tell people about it!

It’s 26 days – but don’t worry, everything is all spelled out for you,
you will learn all sorts of new ways to help your body be it’s best,
the detox Facebook group is super helpful at answering any questions and supporting you along the way. And just think, by early February you’ll feel clean, clear, brain fog gone, several pounds gone, inflammation gone,
and you’ll be oh so proud of yourself!

Seriously, it’s a great way to start a New Year!

The GreenSmoothieGirl Detox has changed over 17,000 lives, over the past 10 years.

You can still watch her Detox Secrets Video Series, for only a short while longer. (You can watch instantly after you opt in!)

This is what actual participants of her program experienced:

  1. Average 12.5 pound weight loss (some as high as 27 pounds!)
  2. Higher ENERGY, all day
  3. Joint pain disappearing
  4. Better digestion (MORE coming out, which is good)
  5. Disappearing autoimmune symptoms
  6. Food cravings gone
  7. Mood stabilizing (calming anxiety and depression)
  8. Skin clearing
  9. Blood sugar stabilizing
  10. Brain fog clearing, mind is sharp again

She understands the SCIENCE of how proper detoxification works, and she developed a comprehensive, guided, whole-body Detox program that she only leads with a big group ONCE per year, in January.

And though the deadline for the Early Bird pricing has ended … she’s decided to extend the 40% off for one week, because she believes doing a dedicated detox is more important EVER this year, and she wants as many people as possible to do it!

The main group starts Tues. Jan. 11th, but really,
you can start whenever it works best with your schedule.
I was ready so I started today ~ woo hoo!

The Detox program systematically cleanses all the major body systems, in an order approved by detox experts, and with products that support and enhance the body’s natural immune function all the way.

What makes Robyn’s 26-Day Detox unique … and better than other detox programs?

  • It’s comprehensive, a WHOLE-body detox — rather than just focusing on detoxing one organ, or simply eating less or healthier food for a few days.
  • It’s based on SCIENCE — every step was created based on what is known about how the body detoxifies and how it can be aided and accelerated in that process.
  • You get to eat REAL food, and you won’t feel hungry — the foods required are real foods you can purchase at your grocery, and you eat plenty of food, and shouldn’t feel very hungry.
  • It’s GUIDED and supported — so you’ll know exactly what to do, and you’ll have support from health coaches and others doing the detox every step of the way.

You’ll hear more about the GreenSmoothieGirl Detox during Robyn’s Detox Video Series.

I hope you’ll join. I think you’ll learn information that will open your eyes to the possibility (and the truth) of detoxification done the right way.

Much love,

Carolyn Cooper

P.S. Check out what Kris K. of Payson, Utah, said after competing Robyn’s guided, comprehensive, science-backed GreenSmoothieGirl Detox:

“This program keeps you full, healthy, and happy! I have tried many other detox cleanses before and this one is by far the best. Although it took a lot of time to prepare the food, I made large quantities of Green Smoothies and learned to love them.

Overall, I haven’t felt this good in years! My energy increased every day I was on the program and I actually started running again. I’m happy to report that by keeping my energy high using Robyn’s recommendations, I easily kicked my caffeine & chocolate addiction. My husband lost 12 lbs. on the program and I lost 9. (We are both in our mid-50s.) Both of us LOVE the healthy education we have had over the past month and the support from our family and friends on this journey. We will continue this journey together and live to be 100 years old.”

Watch Robyn’s Detox Secrets Video Series— and then, consider joining her detoxification program (you can choose your start date and what works for you).

 

This has never happened to me before…

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So this is how it feels, eh?

In all my life I have NEVER been ready for Christmas a full 10 days ahead!

I mean, this is highly unusual…and I love it!

Many of my gifts needed to be mailed, so I had a deadline to get them sent so they’ll arrive in time for Christmas.

You see, because Dean the dream and I moved across the country earlier this year, we are celebrating Christmas by ourselves for the first time ever. Even before we had babies, we were either with his family or my family, never all on our own.

But don’t feel bad for us, we’re really looking forward to it! This has been a year of new adventures, so it’s all good.

We have so many fun activities planned, including late night Christmas Eve Mass at the Washington National Cathedral (we had to enter a lottery to even get tickets and we manifested it!). This will be another new experience for us!

And of course on Christmas day we’re having a family Zoom call (we’ve been having regular family zooms long before Covid). So, with our activities, our family on zoom, etc. we’ll be alone, but not lonely.

I was just in California visiting my son Sinjin, his darling wife Rochelle (for those who knew her leukemia story last year, update: she’s doing well- thank you for the prayers!) and my two adorable granddaughters. Nothing beats a few days of playing with play-doh and slime, and having deep conversations with a 5 year old and a 3 year old.

On the way home from Cali I stopped in Utah for a week to see my two kids there. They’re doing great, we had a fun week, and I enjoyed that southern Utah warm weather!

And get this…on my travels, I even met my other son in the Phoenix airport on Thanksgiving day for just long enough for a hug and a photo. He was flying from SLC to San Diego, and I was flying from DC to Ontario, Calif. We knew we’d be in the airport about the same time and it just so happened our gates were close, that was awesome!

So, I’ve seen all my kids very recently except my “diplo-daughter” in India – that wasn’t on my route this time. But we talk often even with the wacky time zones.

Wow, I hope this email isn’t sounding like an overly long family holiday newsletter, lol. My point is…

It feels SO great to be prepared, to meet a deadline and be ready early!

I hope with the holidays you’re also feeling that way now…or very soon!

Have a wonderful week of shopping, baking, wrapping, giving and whatever else is on your list.

And also remember to add in a little RELAXING!

Much Love,
Carolyn

How Well Do You Navigate the Holidays?

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How Well Do You Navigate the Holidays?Take a big, deep, beautiful breath: the holidays will be here before you know it. For many of us, this time of year brings with it the joys—and challenges—of family gatherings, gift exchanges, and holiday festivities. The good news is that with a little planning and thoughtfulness, you can navigate the holidays with grace.Take this self-quiz to see how ready you are for this year’s holiday season.

True or False?

1. I start planning for the holidays early so that I’m not on overdrive throughout December.

2. When my family is making plans, I make a point of negotiating what I really want to do and where I’d like to spend each holiday.

3. If my family exchanges gifts, I joyfully give what I can afford and enjoy giving. I stick to my budget.

4. I make sure that I eat healthy food that I enjoy every day. This may require me to take care of my own meals or contribute to meal planning and preparation.

5. When I accept a party invitation or a request for my time, it’s because I genuinely want to—and have the energy to participate wholeheartedly. I know how to say “no” to invitations I don’t want to accept. I don’t beat myself up about it or let myself get “roped in.”

6. I recognize the need for downtime and breaks, so I don’t fill my schedule to the brim with events, shopping and other holiday preparations.

7. I value my important relationships and give them the time and energy they need and deserve. If this means that I go to fewer gatherings outside of my immediate circle, so be it.

8. I don’t dwell on the changes in my family that make me unhappy or sad. I accept the way things are now, and enjoy the loved ones around me.

9. In the lead-up to the holidays and during the holidays themselves, I do something that I find fun or pleasurable every day.

10. The holidays are a time to appreciate loved ones and express my spirituality. I make a point of noticing what’s good in my life, and feel gratitude for those things.

If you answered false to more than four of these, you may want to consider ways to make this holiday season more enjoyable and less stressful.

Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications

To learn of ways to help release some stress, check out the post Stress Free Holiday Tips.

Lessons from a Puzzle

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Lessons from a PuzzleOne of my favorite holiday traditions is piecing together jigsaw puzzles! From Thanksgiving until around the first week in Jan, my dad always had an extra table setup with a jigsaw puzzle on it. I have carried on this tradition in my own family. Although my “tidy” husband doesn’t like having my puzzle-table in the middle of our library (visible     from the front door), he is learning what an asset it can be for a family.

It is not often that teenage sons will hang out with their mother for over an hour and just talk, but with a great puzzle, it is a common occurrence in our home. As we work together trying to find the right pieces for the right places, we can talk about all sorts of things going on in their lives that they may not have otherwise shared with me. Or we can just enjoy being together with no pressure to talk at all.

It’s also great for a marriage. It gives us a chance to sit down in the evening, put on some great music, and talk and relax with no TV! Also, when friends or neighbors come over for a short visit, it’s fun for them to find a few pieces while they are there. In fact, this is such a good thing, I am seriously considering keeping my puzzle table up year round!

I suggest getting at least a 1,000-piece puzzle. Depending on the difficulty, and how often we sit down to play with it, we can go through several puzzles during the holiday season. (Of course young children can have their own kid’s puzzle nearby). I must admit, puzzle making is a bit addicting for me. Once I sit down and get into it, I have a hard time leaving the table to get other things done. After all, I am the “Puzzlemiester!”

My kids tease me about finding metaphors for life in any situation. (If you’ve taken a Tai Chi class from me, you know that I love finding life-lessons in the movements). The nature of putting a puzzle together incorporates SO many metaphors for life, I just had to write a list, so here it is:

~Everything I need to know I learned from a jigsaw puzzle~

Slow down

Take your time

Don’t force things into place

Look closely to see what shape things are really in

Trust your intuition

Share your joy with friends

Breathe

You must stand back to see the big picture

Have patience

Follow good examples (picture on box)

Keep track of all your parts

Allow others to help you

Its easier to see solutions with a fresh pair of eyes

Things are not always what they seem

Sometimes you just need to walk away

Often, the piece you are seeking is right in front of you but your perception is off.

and finally…

Sometimes you search for a long time finding only what doesn’t fit, then the insight comes, allowing you to connect many pieces at once.  Don’t you love when that happens?

Get yourself a puzzle and enjoy the season!