Recently in the 6-week Intuitive Wellness Workshop that I co-facilitated with holistic fitness guru Polina Smith, I introduced our workshop participants to the power of positive affirmations, especially as it relates to our health.  

Embodying total wellness requires that we honor all parts of ourselves - the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual elements that make us who we are.  Therefore, we must closely examine our internal dialogue, thoughts, word choices, etc. as they play a POWERFUL role in creating our lives.  

At the forefront of the mind-body movement is world renowned metaphysical teacher and healer, Louise Hay.  She is known as the queen of positive affirmations, has worked with thousands of people around the globe and has authored hundreds of books, cds, etc. providing guidance on how changing your thoughts can change your life.  You can learn more about Louise Hay, her offerings and products at her website: www.louisehay.com.

I am inspired to share to share some teachings from one of my favorite Louise Hay book/cd sets titled "I Can Do It: How To Use Affirmations To Change Your Life".  To purchase the book visit Amazon.com or LouiseHay.com.  In this book/audio series, Louise teaches us that how we think, feel and speak towards and about our bodies plays a critical role in determining our state of health.  In it, she writes: 

"If you want to create better health in your body there are definitely some things you must not do.  You must not get angry at your body for any reason.  Anger is another affirmation, and it's telling your body that you hate it, or parts of it.  Your cells are very aware of every thought you have.  Think of your body as a servant that's working as hard as it can to keep you in perfect health no matter how you treat it.  You'll never create good health by talking or thinking about your illness.  Good health comes from love and appreciation.  You want to put as much love into your body as you possibly can.  Talk to it and stroke it in loving ways.  If there's a part of your body that's ailing or dis-eased, then you want to treat it as you would a sick little child.  Tell it how much you love it, and that you're doing everything you can to help it get well quickly."

Here are some positive affirmations from Louise that you can begin to recite to yourself daily to shift the power of your thoughts.  I invite you to say them aloud to yourself.  Doing so in front of the mirror can be especially transformative.  

"I enjoy the foods that are best for my body.  I love every cell of my body."

"I look forward to a healthy old age because I take loving care of my body now."

"I am constantly discovering new ways to improve my health."

"I return my body to optimal health by giving it what it needs on every level."

"Healing happens! I get my mind out of the way and allow the intelligence of my body to do its healing work naturally."

"My body is always doing its best to create perfect health."

"I am grateful to be alive today.  It is my joy and pleasure to live another wonderful day."

"Perfect health is my divine right and I claim it now."

"I am willing to ask for help when I need it.  I always choose the health professional who is just right for my needs."

Below is the audio version of these affirmations.  If you are in a healing process, this track may help you realize how your negative thoughts and words are impacting your dis-ease state.  You may begin to see how important your emotional/mental mindset is towards healing.  Take a listen and let me know what you think.  If you like what you hear, then please honor Louise Hay by purchasing the book/cd.  It is packed with wonderful tips about all areas of life, health being just one of them.

We create our lives by the thoughts, words and actions that we choose.  Remember your innate power to heal and your body's infinite wisdom.

Shine On,
Rony

Valentines Day.... the holiday of LOVE.  The holiday that celebrates lovebirds, chocolate, roses and relationship.  For some this is a dreaded holiday where the mindset of comparison and lack suffocate any potentially positive experiences.  For others, it is a time to truly be grateful for the precious, bountiful love shared with another and to celebrate the blessing of romantic partnership through expressing love.

As we experience the LOVE holiday today, I am intrigued to explore another important avenue of love; quite possibly the most important loving relationship we will ever have: the one with ourselves.  What if we took all of the energy that is funneled into Valentine's Day and focused it on loving ourselves more?  

What if we gave ourselves permission to practice SELF LOVE as much as we practice loving others?

WHAT IS SELF LOVE?
Self love is at the heart of all growth and healing.  It is at the core of human potential.  For when self love is cultivated and allowed to blossom, the stage is set for experiencing the fullness of life and for extending natural, generous love towards others.  We heal ourselves and therefore the planet through self love.  It is our love for ourselves that inspires a desire for a better experience of our bodies and our lives.  It is love of self that has us take responsibility for ourselves, motivates change and fortifies our commitment to our dreams, resiliency and joy.  It is love of self that whispers to us to move beyond our self-sabotaging patterns and limiting beliefs and to choose instead the route that is in the best interest of everyone involved.  It is self love that serves as the spring-board towards shedding our old identity and EMBODYING our new one.  

Self love means loving yourself even in comparison to others.  Self love means having self respect and enforcing boundaries that cultivate your highest good.  Self love means having the courage to put yourself first, even though you are afraid others may be disappointed, so that you can refuel your tanks and actually increase your capacity for others.  Self love means accepting all of who you are - the good, the bad, the radiant and the not so radiant parts of your body and your personality.  Self love means identifying your core values and then going out and actually living your life in alignment with those things that are most important to you.  It means seeing self care as generous, not selfish.  Self love means spending time with those people who support you and light you up and having the courage to gently let go of those relationships that are toxic and draining to you.  

WHAT DOES SELF-LOVE CREATE?
When our self-love tanks become full, we begin to heal - emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically.  We begin to develop the graceful ability to sit with all of who we are and be whole.  From there we become vulnerable, brave, loving and open.  Life becomes juicy.  Others now enhance our internal happiness as opposed to being the false source of happiness that we cling to.  When we consciously fill our self-love tanks, we begin to build the muscle of positivity, attractiveness, alignment, inner peace and authentic empowerment.  We develop courage, compassion, freedom and fulfillment.  It is like tending to the soil of a great tree.  When we water and nurture the soil, the roots will be vibrant, the trunk will grow strong and the leaves will come alive with brilliant colors of green and red.

So on this holiday dedicated to love, I ask you:  How can you love yourself more?  What would your love-life look like if you loved yourself too?  How can you fill your self-love tanks?

Here are some TIPS for creating more self-love in your life:

MIRROR EXERCISE
Stand in front of the mirror (preferably naked!) and take a look at yourself.  You may notice some critical thoughts enter your mind immediately about your body.  If you need to, spend 30 seconds being critical.  Get it out of the way.  Then.... take a couple of long, deep breaths.  Look into your own eyes and proclaim out loud to yourself:  "I love you.  I really love you.".  You may repeat this a few times if you like.  Then begin to shower your body with love.  Speak lovingly to each part of your body that you see.  Say out loud: "I love you eyes".  "I love you ears; thank you for letting me hear such beautiful, loving statements".  "I love you arms, you are strong".  "I love you thighs, you are feminine and sultry".  Notice what shifts.  Do this every day for 3 weeks and see what changes for you.

LOVE LIST
Take a blank piece of paper and for 10 minutes write down all the things that you love about yourself.  They can be significant or tiny.  See if you can reach up to 20 things or more.  For example:  I love that I love my family.  I love my dorky sense of humor.  I love my ability to fix things around the house.  I love my voice.  I love my willingness to try new things.  

LOVE IN ACTION
What is 1 new way that you can demonstrate self love today?  Perhaps it is through speaking authentically or standing up for yourself.  Perhaps you can open up to someone and practice being vulnerable.  Maybe you can treat yourself to a rejuvenating night at home with an epsom salt bath and a good movie.  Practice building your muscle of self love in daily life and see what opens up for you in your life.  

Our world needs the version of you that is practicing self love.  Your children need it, your spouse needs it, your friends and family need it.  The people who you are going to inspire need it.  Give yourself permission to become whole by loving your self more.  Practice loving others and receiving love on this special day from the place of fullness that self-love brings.  May your love cup spillith over.  

Here's to love!  May it flow deeply through you and may it help your light shine bright.

I'd love to hear your comments.  What do you love about yourself?

Shine on,
Rony

             WHAT DOES YOUR DREAM LIFE LOOK LIKE?

In our society we tend to throw around the phrase "life of your dreams" pretty casually, to the point where it has become cliche and quite cheesy.  But think about those words for a moment:  Life Of Your Dreams.  Wow.  What if you could really live a life so truly rewarding that it felt like you were living your dreams over and over again?  What if you could actually have boundless energy, vibrant health, deep fulfillment, inner peace, money, love and purpose?  Many think this is unrealistic.  I'm here to assure you that it is absolutely possible to create this and then some.

THE QUESTION
Are your decisions helping you live the life of your dreams or are they holding you hostage in your own self-imposed prison?  The choices we make greatly affect the life we live.  This seems obvious, yet most of us don't realize the power that we have to create the life we truly want.  When we have vision around who we want to become and start choosing in alignment with that then everything changes.  Where do you currently reside?

MY STORY
Several years ago, I thought that good enough was as good as it got.  I thought that because I excelled at my career, worked hard, had fun and made good money that I was on track.  I thought that because I was thin and worked out regularly that I was healthy.  I thought that one day my husband would appear so long as I cast a net wide enough to catch him.  My life was good.  And yet, it wasn't my DREAM LIFE.  Something felt off deep down inside.  I was over-extended and tired, my job lacked meaning and I was stuck on the perpetual dating treadmill.  I wasn't living on purpose.  I wasn't realizing the ripple effect of my choices in terms of how they were building my life and future.

It wasn't until I experienced some powerful wake-up calls in the form of major body-wide health breakdowns that I began to see the role I was playing in living a wonderful, mediocre life.  As I began to work with coaches and healers, I was able to identify what my ultimate life and health truly consisted of.  I clearly defined my dream life and realized that I could create it, slowly but surely.  I explored what it truly meant to be a woman who embodied total wellness.  I got clear about what I wanted to contribute in my life's work and experience in a loving partnership.  

DREAMING BIG
When we allow ourselves to dream big it helps us expand beyond our current situation.  It allows us to see how we can take responsibility for our lives and what we have to change in order to have something different.  If we don't change how we are choosing throughout the day, then things simply won't change.  We will remain stuck in a self-imposed prison.  As Albert Einstein said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".  In order to get different results, we must understand where we'd like to go and make choices that will take us there.  It might be scary, but change is required if we want something more.

So.... What does YOUR DREAM LIFE look like?  If you had all the money in the world; if you knew you could not fail; if anything were possible; if your health was fantastic, who would you be?  How would you act?  What would you be doing with your body, your money, your energy, your love, your purpose and career?  What would you express and contribute?  How would you spend your free time?  Who would be supporting you?  Where would you be doing all of this and why?

I encourage you to become very clear on your answers to these questions.  Play with it, dive into it, get curious and be bold.  Stretch your imagination further than you think is possible.  DREAM REALLY BIG.  REALLY REALLY BIG.  

THE GOLDEN KEY
Become clear on this vision of your Future Self and then.... here is the golden key to your success.... start choosing as if you were your Future Self now.  I'll say that again:  Start choosing as if you were your Future Self at this very moment.  For example: if your Future Self is 40 pounds thinner, confident and enjoying yoga regularly then what choices would that person make when faced with a donut today?  How would that person be spending their time today?  How often would that person be doing yoga this week?  What would that person trust about themselves in this very moment?  What would their posture be like throughout the day?  How would they communicate?  After envisioning, we must get into action in order to create a change.  We must become our dream selves now if we want to move forward in the direction of creating our dreams.  

You can even choose your response to this Dream Big exercise.  Are you going to allow yourself to criticize and punish yourself for not living your dream life now?  Or are you going to choose to be inspired and simply make a different choice today that will propel you towards your vision?

HELPFUL TIP
Post a reminder note on your bathroom mirror where you will see it every day.  This note should remind you to choose in alignment with your future self.  For example:
* As a woman who embodies total wellness, I choose to: _______________________
* As a triathlete who spends his free time exercising outdoors, I choose to: _________________________
* As a woman who loves herself deeply and therefore attracts in a loving mate, I choose to: ________________________
* As a man who is working in a profession that he loves, I choose to: ______________________________
* As a retired man who travels the world with his wife, I choose to: ___________________________

In my Individual Coaching programs we work on refining who your Future Self is, what your dream life entails and how you can create it in a supported, empowered way.  Contact me to learn more about how coaching can help you to change your life.  

Dreaming BIG can only help us.  What hurts us is when we remain too entangled in fear and worry to act on turning our dreams a reality one choice at a time.  I invite you to take the leap of faith and see what happens!  Your dream life is waiting for you and it's worth going for it!

I welcome your comments and invite you to share some fun facts about who your Future Self is!  

Shine on,
Rony

HOW TO MAKE LIVING HEALTHY REALISTIC, AUTHENTIC & FUN LONG TERM

Did you know that approximately 80% of people do not succeed at implementing their New Year's resolution after just one month?  What does it take to truly integrate your goals and have success over time?  What are some of the lesser known secrets towards creating optimal health long term?

In this 40 minute interview with Polina Smith of WholeBody Talk Radio, Rony uncovers 5 essential tips towards creating optimal health in 2012 and beyond.  

At the end of the interview, Rony & Polina reveal a special promotion for you to receive $30 off the registration price of the Intuitive Wellness workshop which begins January 18th in San Francisco!

For all the details of the Intuitive Wellness Workshop, click HERE.
To learn more about Polina Smith and MyWhole Body, click HERE.

I learn as much from my clients as they do from me.  Today one of my clients inspired me to write about something I believe in deeply: embodying our truth and shining our light.

According to the Mayan Calendar, 2012 has long been regarded as the year the world would end.  Many of us however are experiencing something substantially more uplifting than the apocalypse.  We are feeling a larger calling to a greater way of being.  We are feeling the energy of this year already as alive, illuminated, important and palpable.  We are ready to take a stand, express ourselves, up the anti, trust the Universe and simply allow our access to Spirit to move through us.  

Last year brought economic distress, natural disaster and upheaval.  The global uprisings and Occupy movements of 2011 proved that as a people we are ready for change.  We have begun to shed layers that no longer serve the human race or our planet.  The decay and destruction of some of our most fundamental systems is making room for the light to emerge and for change to come.  This light is what we feel.  This greater way of being is the whisper we are hearing and are beginning to follow.  The spiritual communities and gurus are referring to 2012 as "The Great Turning".  It is our time to become who we are truly meant to be. It is our time to choose love over fear.  It is our time to give energy to positive thoughts and dialogue over gossip and victim mentality.  It is our time to honor the earth, return to nature's cycles and our body's intuitive wisdom as our ultimate guides on this journey.  

By allowing ourselves to become conscious, aware and still we are able to hear our inner truth.  By allowing ourselves to act and speak authentically and lovingly, our truth begins to emerge and create a ripple effect.  By letting our light shine we contribute to the greater, glorious, inexplainable cosmic light and life force energy of our Universe.  We become carriers of this light.  

As 2012 begins, I invite you to let your light shine.  I invite you to take responsibility for the perspective you choose to hold about your circumstances.  I invite you to speak honestly and act authentically.  I invite you to risk and shed what no longer serves you.  I invite you to love yourself and open to vulnerability.  The potential greatness of our world depends on you doing this.  By shining your light you give others permission to the same and you contribute to the global, human, Universal positive change that is occurring.  

In closing, I'd like to share one of my favorite quotes with you.  May it inspire you and may your light shine gloriously bright over the course of this year and beyond!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson

I welcome your comments.

Shine On,
Rony

AN INVITATION TO MARVEL AT YOUR LIFE

And so the end of 2011 is upon us.  What a powerful year!  Did you feel it? I find the end of the year to be one of the most meaningful times, moreso than the beginning of the year.  As these last days of December present themselves, many of us finally have a little downtime to take care of things around the house, relax and enjoy friends and family.  It is a poignant time of year to marvel at your life and an important time to assess where you are at and where you are going.  

YEAR END REFLECTION:  MAKING TIME TO LOOK BACK
Reflection is a powerful tool towards achieving inner peace and clarity of vision.  It can create a sense of closure as we shut the door to 2011 and strengthen our sense of possibility as we open the gates to 2012.  I dedicate time before December 31st each year to honor my journey over the last 365 days and to marvel at my life.  When we really take time to look back over the year, we often realize just how many mini miracles occurred and how much we've grown.  Even if we have had an immensely difficult year, reflection at year's end allows us to close one chapter of life and welcome in an easier ride in the coming year.  Often times it is getting clear about what didn't work that ignites the passion in us to shift our experience moving forward.

I invite you to take some quiet time to yourself to reflect.  My favorite place to do this is at the beach or in my bedroom early in the morning with my journal.  Here are some questions to inspire your process:
* What would you like to acknowledge yourself for?
* How did you grow this year?
* What was your most brave moment in 2011?
* Where did you practice expressing yourself authentically?
* What was the highlight of your year?
* Who/what are you most grateful for in 2011?
* What do you need to forgive yourself for?
* What is the greatest lesson you learned this year?
* What word embodies the overall theme of your year?
* What parts of your life from 2011 are you going to continue to cultivate in 2012?

MAKING ROOM FOR 2012:  CLEARING PHYSICAL & MENTAL/EMOTIONAL CLUTTER
During the process of reflection it is common to gain some clarity on next steps.  As we prepare to set intention and clarify our New Year's resolutions, it is important to make room for all of the good things we would like to invite in.  Clearing clutter and "Releasing Rituals" are powerful, simple ways to create room for abundance, love, health and manifestation in the new year.  I just finished going through my closets, desk and computer to get rid of everything that is no longer relevant to my life now.  It feels fantastic!  I feel lighter, more aligned and excited to really set intention and start manifesting my dreams come January.

In terms of physical clutter clearing, I recommend doing a quick "once over" on your closets, kitchen cupboards, bathroom drawers, desk, file cabinets, garage, etc.  As you do this, ask yourself:
* What am I ready to let go of?
* What represents an old version of me that I do not want to embody moving forward?
* Would the future version of myself that I want to become utilize this item?
* Do I use/wear this item more than once every 6 months?  
* Do I really need this?

In addition to physical clutter, releasing mental/emotional clutter can really free us up and make us ready for the new year.  I recommend conducting a simple ritual to release what you no longer need.  You can write the answers to the questions below on a piece of paper and safely burn it or throw it away.  Or you can vocalize your feelings/answers to the ocean, a tree, an expansive valley or vista point.  Nature has the strength to hold it all for you so you can let it go.  Some questions to ask:
* What belief systems or "stories" about myself/my life no longer serve me that I can release?
* What spoken or unspoken "agreements" have I made with myself or others that are holding me back?
* What anger am I holding onto?
* What do I need to express?
* Who do I need to forgive?

NEW YEARS BLESSINGS
2012 is becoming more widely regarded as the year we will collectively shift the consciousness of our planet and evolve the world.  Many of us feel that we are being called to step fully into our most actualized selves.  As we stand at the doorway of this powerful time in history, I invite you to reflect on where you've been so that you may identify where you need to go from an empowered, celebratory place.  

Wishing you and your loved ones a most incredible 2012!  May the coming year be filled with abundant health, activities and people that bring you joy, empowerment, success, clarity, creativity, inner peace, balance, laughter, ease and love.  May you be fully expressed, feel alive in your body and feel that your life is on course with your purpose and dreams!  

As I close out 2011, I am extremely grateful.  Thank You to all of you who read and forward my newsletters and blogs.  THANK YOU to my amazing clients and workshop participants. I am blown away by your willingness to show up, risk, learn and remain committed to your process of evolution.  Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey.  New Years blessings to you!  Thank you also to my unbelievable family, friends, teachers and partner.  You inspire me daily and remind me what living an authentic, healthy life is truly about.

See you on the other side!
Shine On,
Rony

BALANCING HOLIDAY CHEER & PERSONAL YEAR-END RESTORATION.  

This is an especially interesting time of year.  On the one hand, the holiday season is incredibly festive and illuminated.  Everywhere we turn we see the bright, joyous lights of the holidays marking this special time.  We gather, attending and hosting numerous holiday parties, engage the extroverted parts of ourselves and raise a glass to life.

On the other hand however, these are the shortest days of the winter season.  The winter solstice falls on December 21st, reminding us that the darkness of winter is here for a reason.  As night falls early, nature's cycles beckon us to slow down, to rest, reflect and hibernate during this time of year.  Many of us regard January as our time to re-engage our ambitious, get-up-and-go approach to life, naturally making the end of December our time to go inward and recoup before we pick up the pace again.  

Earlier this week in my monthly women's group, we discussed this paradox of being pulled towards external exuberance and internal restoration simultaneously.  Many of us expressed feeling overwhelmed by holiday party obligations, shopping, hosting duties and year-end deadlines.  While we love to see our friends, families and co-workers, we were quick to admit that we were craving a few quiet nights at home before 2012.  

Our conversation gave me pause and had me realize just how overwhelming this time of year can be for many.  
How do we get the full festive holiday experience while honoring our physical, emotional need to slow down?

In sitting with this inquiry, I feel we have the opportunity to celebrate the light while cherishing the hidden gifts of darkness.  If we choose to be mindful about it, we can create balance this holiday season.

CELEBRATING THE LIGHT
Christmas and Hanukkah fall at the same time this year.  Each of these holidays is marked by lights.  As Christmas nears, we are surrounded by the quintessential holiday lights that remind us that something special is going on.  It is a time for celebration, faith and cheer.  As a child I remember walking down "Christmas Tree Lane" in my neighborhood and counting all the houses that were covered in lights.  Although I am Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas, I remember feeling a sense of excitement and wonderment as we passed others who were sharing the delight of the lights and holiday season.  It is a deeply joyous, spiritual time for many.

Hanukkah is a holiday that celebrates the miracle of light.  Pause for a moment and take in this obvious blessing that we sometimes take for granted: the miracle of light.  It is my favorite Jewish holiday of the year.  In addition to the festive, social aspect of this holiday, this holiday is my favorite because for 8 nights we take time out to light candles and celebrate light.  Lighting candles is ceremonial, sacred, meaningful.  We do it during rituals, when we meditate and in honor of our birthdays.  It is an opportunity to pause, become grateful and remember to be in awe of life.  I also see it as a chance to celebrate how illuminated my life is and how brightly the inner light of my friends and family shine.  

Here are some questions to stimulate your appreciation of the light all around you at this time:
* How can you truly celebrate the light of life this holiday season?
* What are you grateful for?
* Who and what are you in awe of?
* Before going to a holiday party, pause and ask yourself: What am I REALLY celebrating tonight?
* What miracles exist in your life?  How are you blessed?
* How can you spread the holiday light to someone in need?
* In what ways do you have faith?  What restores your faith?  
* What are you praying for?

CHERISHING THE DARKNESS
Darkness is something we often want to run away from.  To many it represents fear, hardship and confusion.  I invite you to consider a different perspective: the beauty and blessing of darkness.  Darkness can also represent stillness, rest and peace.  It is by contrast to the dark that we actually can see the light.  Imagine the beauty and stillness of a starry night out in nature, away from the city lights.  It is stunning how many stars are actually visible across the backdrop of the dark night sky!  

Darkness also represents going inward.  While this is scary for some, in truth, it is one of the most beautiful, powerful practices we can engage in.  It is through going inward that we get clarity, return to a place of trust vs. fear and restore our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical tanks.  It is by going inward, reflecting and resting that our creative ideas suddenly re-emerge and our capacity for others multiplies ten fold.  Ironically, it is through the inner peace and stillness of darkness that we access and strengthen our inner light.  

On a physical level, darkness makes us sleepy.  Melatonin, a hormone that makes us tired, is secreted upon exposure to darkness.  As night falls, this hormone is released, allowing us to easily fall asleep.  As the days shorten, we are called to go inward.  Nature demands it of us.  It is our time to rest, replenish, reflect and restore.  To learn more about melatonin and other variables that impact your sleep/wake cycles, download my free article on 
The Six Secrets To Splendid Sleep.  

I invite you to turn your phone off and schedule time on your calendar for napping, meditation, alone time, baths, massages and personal pampering amidst the holiday buzz!  Here are some questions to get you started:

* How can you create in-between moments of stillness amidst the holiday rush?
* Will you commit to sitting in silence for 5-10 minutes first thing every morning until 2012?
* Before entering a holiday party, sit in your car for 3 minutes and practice deep breathing.  Go inward and ask yourself: What am I really feeling?  How can I experience this party in the most balanced way?
* What can you say NO to?  I give you permission to set boundaries! 
* What does your ideal quiet night at home entail?  Promise yourself one night like this before 2012.
* When you take a few moments and quiet yourself, what do you hear?  
* What does your intuition tell you that you need?

May your light shine bright and your tanks be full.
Wishing you balance, joy, celebration and personal time for rest and restoration this holiday season!  

I welcome your comments!

Shine On,
Rony

Listen to Rony as she talks with WholeBody Talk's Polina Smith and gives easy tips for having a healthy, conscious holiday season filled with gratitude.  To download the Podcast for free via iTunes, click Here!

Wishing you a joyous, nourishing and relaxing holiday season.  There is lots to be grateful for when you shift your focus to seeing it!

Shine On,
Rony

A NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE HOLIDAYS

The holidays can be a time of stress, family tension and over-eating for many of us.  While we cherish time spent with relatives and friends, enjoy traditional foods and leaving town for a few days, typically, the holidays are laden with travel tension, family tension, little personal time and lots of over-eating that leaves many of us feeling bloated, frustrated and regretting our choices.  It is as if we let all of our conscious choice making fly out the window in order to fully experience the holidays.  We opt for complete indulgence during the holiday season knowing that January will come soon enough to get us back on track. 

What if we could indulge, connect and relax while feeling empowered, conscious and proud of ourselves?  What if we could spend the holidays totally fulfilled AND in a way that continued our self-growth, fostered our health and forward movement towards our larger goals? 

WHAT IF YOUR HIGHEST SELF CAME TO THANKSGIVING?

THE OLD STORY
Many of us have created stories that promote being stuck in a limited place of false beliefs.  We convince ourselves that the following is true.  See if any of these statements are things you’ve told yourself before:
* I won’t really enjoy the party if I stick to my diet.  
* To truly obtain a feeling of indulgence and relaxation, I have to let go of everything I’m working on.
* My family members won’t understand me if I show up as my Highest Self.
* I will be alone if I truly embody and express my truth.
* Traveling is stressful. 
* The holidays are stressful and depleting, I have to please everyone else.

Newsflash: It is all illusion!!  These are stories that you have created from a part of you that is experiencing fear – fear that you can’t have it all, a scarcity mentality, a lack of trust.  Open yourself to creating a new story. 

THE NEW STORY
What does it feel like to experience fun, meaning, yummy-ness or love in a way that honors your highest self; in a way that values your vision for the best you?  You’ve felt it before.  See if you can remember a time when:
* You showed up at the social event and opted for veggies over chips.
* You went to dinner and only had one glass of wine or none at all despite funny looks from others at your table.
* You were in a loving relationship and spoke up about what you needed even thought it might have been scary.
* You were with your family and stayed centered in your truth, even for a few moments.
* You found some moments of peace in the midst of chaos. 
* You realized that you are creating your own chaos and chose to shift to a more centered, trusting mindset. 

How did that feel?  Were you able to experience the fun, connection, love, and indulgence without loosing yourself completely?  I bet you were!

What is your NEW STORY?  Try shifting to an “AND Mentality”.  Fill this sentence in as many times as you need to:
I can __________________________ AND __________________________.   
Ex:  I can feel connected to my family and be myself.  I can indulge and stick to eating healthy.

HIGHEST SELF HOLIDAY TIPS
1.  Visualization & Intention
Take a few moments to visualize how your ideal holiday would feel.  Really allow yourself to feel it.  What would your interactions with family and friends be like?  How would you navigate moments of overwhelm?  How would you feel in your body?  How much quiet time for yourself away from the action would you have and what would it entail?  What foods would you enjoy?  What would it feel like to take responsibility for feeling nourished, loved and happy?  Now set intention around this.  Take 10 minutes to write your intention in your journal, focusing on what you intend to experience and create.

2. Create a Self Care Contract
Create a contract with yourself that you can look at each morning to remind yourself of your intention.  I take 10 minutes to write my Self Care Contracts on the plane whenever I travel somewhere.  It can be simple.  For example:

I, Rony Gerzberg, in honor of experiencing my Highest Self in every experience, hereby promise to myself the following on this trip:
1.  I will take 5 minutes every morning to meditate, even if it’s in the bathroom.  I know that this creates relaxation, clarity, breathing room and purpose for me.
2.  I will practice being loving with myself and others, remembering that this is a meaningful time of year with lots to be grateful for.
3.  When others comment on how my diet is so healthy and different, I will remember not take it personally and I will kindly fill them in on how I eat/live so that we may have an opportunity to feel more connected.  I will see it as an opportunity to honor my truth.
4. I will exercise once over the long holiday weekend.
You get the idea.  Remind yourself of the payoff for each item.  I.e., that it will allow you to feel alive, grateful, handling your basic needs, etc.

3.  Practice The Rule of 80/20
Stick to your path 80% of the time and don’t worry about sticking to it 20% of the time.  In other words, 80% of the time, eat the foods that heal your body, practice speaking authentically, or caring for yourself first.  Then 20% of the time, indulge – treat yourself to the cheesecake, zone out from being present and give to others instead of yourself.  The 80/20 Rule is wonderful to practice any time we are in a process of healing, self-growth or on the path of living our truth.  During the holidays, which are a particularly fun and special time, modifying the rule to 70/30 is equally beneficial.  Bottom Line:  try to be conscious most of the time while giving yourself a break and allowing yourself indulge and relax!

4.  Pause and Breath
Before choosing the extra serving that will send you into a food coma, pause and take a breath.  Before compromising yourself for the sake of going along with the group dynamic, pause and take a breath.  Before disappearing into the black hole of stress and overwhelm, pause and take a breath.  Then choose.  It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it does J.

5.  Be Curious and Playful
Get curious around your Highest Self.  Allow yourself to have fun with noticing when it’s easy for you to choose consciously and when you get triggered.  Being present and conscious is not about being perfect!  It is about simply honoring the parts of us that we love and are growing as often as we remember to do so, and doing so in a loving, open-minded and joyous way.

6.  Dare To Be Proud Come January
What if you really could make choices that would have you experience the best holiday season possible?  Allow yourself to experience the major payoff of empowered choices!  Take a risk this holiday season and try it out.  How good will you feel on the other side of the holidays?   I can guarantee you’ll feel proud of yourself, confident, more in love with your body and more in love with your family, friends and community! I invite you to create a conscious holiday season for yourself and see how it sets you up strong, proud and ready to meet January on the right foot!

There is so much to be grateful for this holiday season.  There is an abundance of healthy, seasonal food at your fingertips.  There is no shortage of love all around and within.  And there is plenty of opportunity to practice engaging the muscles of your Highest Self! 

Here is to a healthy, happy and fun Thanksgiving with your Highest Self!

Shine on,
Rony

             WE HAVE A PRIMAL ABILITY TO MAKE SOUND.
WHAT IF YOU FREED YOUR VOICE TO FULLY EXPRESS YOURSELF?

At this time of the Occupy Movements and general upheaval around the globe, it is clear that people long to use their voices to express themselves and claim their power.  

In my own journey of self-actualization, I practice using my voice to express my truth, my passions and to release those parts of myself that no longer serve me.  One of the most exciting ways I do this is through Sound Healing.  Sound Healing is the art of using sound, both through drums, bells, tuning forks or other external sound-making objects as well as using your own voice to move stuck energy in the body.  It is both powerful and gentle, and is an incredible modality to heal physical, emotional and energetic imbalances.   Similar to the acupuncture needles used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sound Healing utilizes the vibration of sound to create and move energy throughout the physical and energetic bodies.  It is regarded as a proven, scientific healing modality and is becoming more popular these days.  It is a safe, liberating way to really seize the power of your voice.  

So what is so special about exercising our voice?  I didn’t quite realize this until I began to use mine.  In the past, I've enjoyed singing and had taken some vocal lessons, however it wasn’t until I started using my voice as a healing instrument as well as a vehicle to voice my true needs, beliefs and feelings, that I began to grasp just what making sound can do.

Making sound is not about sounding good or hitting the right notes of a song.  It is not about performing for others.  Making sound is PRIMAL.  It is a basic human faculty and an innate part of our species.  Sound is something that comes out of us from the first breaths that we draw upon when entering this world.  Think how fiercely a baby can wail - full of power and resolve.  Think of what uproarious laughter, cheering or whispering sounds like.  Making sound can be anything from breathing, humming, singing, grunting, screaming, speaking or any other noise we can omit.  It creates vibration and resonance.  It can be gentle or fierce.  It can come from the depths of who we are.

Yet in our society we are embarrassed of making noise.  We fear saying the wrong thing, being rude, speaking at the wrong time, sounding bad if we sing or being inappropriate if we release primal sounds from our bellies in order to heal.  When I first engaged in sound healing I would practice making different sounds that would acknowledge certain parts of my body that I was healing, such as my liver, intestines, etc., and I would balance my chakras (energy centers in the body) by practicing sound scales.  I remember writing an email to my neighbors to let them know what I was doing so they wouldn’t worry and think a cat was dying in my apartment or something!  I was so embarrassed!  When I started taking voice lessons and joined a band, I used to sing in my bathroom with the door closed so no one would hear me – I felt incredibly self-conscious using my FULL voice.  Over time, I grew to understand how freeing and healing it is for me to open my voice and I now joyously LET IT OUT regardless of who might hear.  Perhaps it will even inspire someone as they walk by!  More so, I began to realize how important it was for me to reclaim my own personal power through voicing my needs, feelings and beliefs to others - both verbally and in writing.  It is incredibly empowering to speak your truth.  What do you REALLY want to say to people?  

There are many useful ways to use sound and when relevant, I utilize some of these techniques with my health and life-coaching clients as well as in the group workshops that I lead.  Contact me to find out more.

Here are a few exercises to help get you started using sound for your own benefit:

* DEEP LISTENING & EXPRESSION *
Take a quiet moment and tune into yourself.  Turn off your phone and computer and just listen.  What do you hear? 

Start by listening to what you hear outside.  Take mental note of all the different sounds.  What do you hear in front of you?  Behind you?  To your right and left?  What does your breath sound like? 

Now shift your focus inward.  Start by focusing on your breath and tune out the thoughts that cross your mind.  If you have a thought, just let it pass.  Very slowly, scan your body starting at your head and working your way down to your throat, chest, abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, ankles and toes.  

What do you hear?
How are you feeling physically and emotionally? 
What parts of you are tired?  In pain?  Scared?  Happy?
What sounds could you make to represent how you feel?
What do you need/long to express?

Take a moment and sit with all of it.  Listen to your intuition.  You can journal about your experience if you like.  Now make some noise!  Scream into a pillow or release a glorious sound of pride.  Hum a gentle note.  Recite a mantra or affirmation out loud to yourself.  Tell someone how you really feel.  It’s safe.

* CHAKRA BALANCING SCALES *
Each of the seven chakras (energy centers) of the body has a corresponding sound.  The lowest, root chakra found at your sit bones, can be represented and balanced by making a lowwww, vibrating sound.  Take a moment and try making the lowest humming sound you can make.  (Ummmmmmm)  Now shift the focus to your seventh chakra, or crown chakra on the top of your head, by making a very high pitched, squeaky sound.  What is the highest sound that you can make?  (Eeeeeeee) 

The chakras can all be balanced by practicing scales.  Start with the lowest note, focusing on your sit bones/hips and slowly move your focus up, through your sexual organs, abdomen, heart, throat, etc. aiming for the top of your head.  Simultaneously, as you move up your body, slowly make your tone higher and higher until you reach your highest note at the top of your head.  Then reverse it.  See where you get stuck or are not fluid.  That will inform you where you might be holding onto some stuck energy in your body.  You can use sound to move through that and keep practicing the scales until they are fluid.  This can be incredibly grounding, rejuvenating and healing!

* GROUNDING YOUR ENERGY *
If you have a lot on your mind, especially before you go to sleep, practice making the lowest sound you can make and shift your focus down towards your feet.  This will shift your vibration and help get you out of your head.

So…. What do you need to express?  What does it sound like?  What would happen if it were totally safe for you to use your voice fully?  What would you tell people if you had the courage to speak honestly and lovingly?

Tune in.  Listen.  And let it out - Wildly.  Lovingly.  Freely.  Authentically.  

May you sing your song proudly and march to the beat of your own drum!

Shine on,
Rony