Showing posts with label affirmation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affirmation. Show all posts

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Resolution or Revolution




Resolution |ˌrezəˈloō sh ən|nouna firm decision to do or not to do something :
Revolution |ˌrevəˈloō sh ən|nouna dramatic and wide-reaching change in the way something works or is organized or in people's ideas about it :

It's that time of the year when we all feel it... The exciting potential of anything being possible, whether it be in the realm of our career life, relationships or physical being. Resolutions are great, but too often we make unrealistic promises that may be hard to hold onto... And once broken- are gone for good.

If you are serious about making changes that will last, start with 'Resolutions' and take baby steps that you know you can handle. Resolutions are great for creating small changes over time that lead to bigger leaps in time. For example, maybe you are ready to eat less red meat in your diet. You can make a resolution to only eat red meat twice a month and replace those meals where you would eat red meat, with a healthier option like fish or chicken- or even a plate of steamed veggies! Or maybe you are ready to start taking two of your favorite workout classes a week, instead of one. Schedule it into your calendar and circle the dates. Make a resolution to commit yourself to your new workout regime.

Perhaps in others areas of life, you know your'e ready for a 'Revolution', And feel ready to step it up- so go ahead and challenge yourself. Dream big, summon up your courage and take that leap of faith. An example of a revolutionary act may be to give notice at your current job because you know you are worth more/deserve more pay/need to be challenged to grow more in your line of work. Giving notice that you will be leaving your current job in two weeks will surely step up your momentum to get 'out there' and create a new form of income- maybe one you've only ever dreamt of! Another form of self revolution  may include moving to a new state or country- or finally leaving the boyfriend/girlfriend you know you should have left two years ago.

Here is an easy written exercise to help you decipher what is truly important to you as you ring in 2014.. Hooray!!! get out your journal or a piece of paper and write out the following lists/questions and answer them honestly, and with as much gusto and creativity as you can- a.k.a- dream BIG!


1. Work: Am I ready for a Resolution or a Revolution?
(a)Am I happy in my work environment?
(b)Am I happy with my work peers?
(c) Do I feel the income I receive from my job reflects my skills, talents, efforts and the time i put in each week?
(d) Is there room for growth or promotion at my current job?
(e) does my current job challenge me to stretch outside of my comfort zone, or can I do it with my eyes closed, and perhaps- asleep..haha!
(f)What would I rather be doing on a day to day basis if I didn't have to work at the job I currently have? (Go crazy, this is the part where you get to dream BIG!)

2. Body: Am I ready for a Resolution or a Revolution?
(a) Am I happy in my body?
(b) Is there a health issue that I need to address, but have been ignoring?
(c) Do I have a regular exercise routine?
(d) Do I appreciate my body on a regular basis, or do I refer to it as a separate entity that I'd rather not have to deal with?
(e) Is there a class or fitness program I have been wanting to start to take my workout in a new direction, but have been waiting for the New Year to do so?
(f) What two areas of my body am I ready to commit to loving more, and targeting in my workouts?

3. Relationships: Am I ready for a Resolution or a Revolution?
(a) Am I happy in my current romantic relationship?
If you are not in a romantic relationship currently;
(a) Am I happy in my closest friendship? If friendships are all good:
(a) Is there a specific family relationship that needs tending to?
(b) What needs to change in this relationship- if anything?
(c) How can I be more loving to myself within this relationship?
(d) How can I reflect more love to my significant other/friend/family member in this relationship?
(e) What new, healthy, and creative ways can we spend time together?
(f) Do I need to forgive this person? Or Do I need to ask them for forgiveness?

4. Diet: Am I ready for a Resolution or a Revolution?
(a) How do I describe my daily diet?
-Very Healthy
-Mostly Healthy
-I eat fast food more than twice a week.
-I never eat fresh foods or vegetables.
-I know I should eat better but just can't change my habits.
(b) Do I have health problems related to my daily diet?
(c)What needs to change, in order to relive my health problems?
(d) Are fresh vegetables a part of my daily diet?
(e) Do I find myself constipated often?
(f) Does the food I eat give me energy, or tend to drain my energy? (Soda and caffeine do not count!)

May you enjoy a Healthy, Happy, Prosperous, Love-Filled 2014!
Love and Light,
Tuesday May

I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. 
Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any
 lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health. 
I am not responsible for any action you resume, You are- Make it pleasurable.
© Tuesday May Thomas 2013
  


Saturday, August 24, 2013

Beauty, It's an 'Inside Job'

More than what you wear, and how you wear it. 
More than the size or shape of your body, and how you 'work' your body.  
It's how you wear self-love on the inside most of all.


So the negative self-talk has started again eh? Yep- because you gave into it a day ago. Ah ha, you let one harmful thought begin and it has multiplied. Now you are letting more and more negative thoughts slip through and rule your space and time. I know you know-whatever you spend time thinking about is gonna start 'blinking' it's way into your reality. Right through your very eyes. You will be making movies of what you think about in your mind. You will either create pictures of limitation, and perhaps self violence- or expansion, love and joy.  How many years have you beaten yourself up and re-played the same fears over and over and over? And how many times have you let go, thinking this is it. "I am finally free..", only to be revisited by a quaking reality that stirs and entraps your self confidence and beats it down until your sense of self is dulled and timid?
Be a Master of Your Time and Space. Stop. Now.  - How> First of all- Breathe.

Ok, heres the secret; feeling beautiful, being beautiful, and radiating 'beautiful energy' is an inside job. Yes, exercise and a healthy-diet help, but maintaining the essence of beauty is a full time job directly connected to where we allow our thoughts to meander. Feeling beautiful gets easier the more we practice and try on what 'feeling beautiful' feels like to us. Each person may experience it differently. 

Feeling beautiful can become a self sustaining reality, if we are disciplined in honoring the god or goddess within on a regular basis. Gifting yourself a spiritual tune-up when your personal vehicle, or body~mind gives you a sign it's time for a check-up is vital.. You may be riding high, feeling confident and free and then all of the sudden a shudder, a light within starts to blink. You may try to ignore it, but the issue won't go away until you have dealt with it. Just like the car you drive- maintenance is what you do for your car-right? An oil change every so many miles, maybe you need new tires, or the brakes need tending too. To keep your vehicle in a positive motion that will get you around in life hassle free- you gotta take care of it. In terms of the body~mind vehicle, you gotta do the work to keep the mind in a positive motion or non- motion, or else it can become ill, or function at lower ability than its optimum performance. The mind drives the whole movie of life.. Where the mind goes, we go- we follow. What we reach out to with our thoughts and emotions, reaches back to us; be it self-loathing, insecurity, happiness or trust. 

JEALOUSY, MISTRUST, BETRAYAL, SUSPICION, INSECURITY, SELF HATE, MISERY, ABUSE, DEPRESSION, DISTORTED BODY IMAGE, INADEQUACY & PARANOIA

If any of the above are part of your mental reality (meaning you spend much of your time thinking about how you are or could become jealous, mistrustful, betrayed, insecure, abused etc), you are being robbed of precious energy, mental strength and emotional stability. It takes just as much energy to concentrate on paranoid delusions, as it does to focus on more positive visions of yourself, life, and world. They each hold POWER, but the difference is, one gives you power and the other takes power away

As I mentioned here- in my first blog post at 'ILMBB', my ex slept with another woman a week before we were to set the date for our marriage (2010). I have been betrayed by a romantic partner in the past too, and I couldn't help but feel very insecure and angry at myself for letting this happen again.She begged forgiveness and insisted we continue with our marriage plans. After five years of living and loving together, this action threw me for a loop and I had to question whether my partner had a previous record of this behavior. Either way, this was this a sign telling me to walk away and never look back. That I did. And yes, a ton of healing took place. Months of 'day after day' crying, and howling and mourning filed my time. I cried for 'a life' I so deeply thought was the life I would grow into with my ex. But NO. Life had more in store for me. I had to let go and allow the old relationship to die, so my heart and soul could heal and be reborn. 

Why is it that those hurts and fear-filled traumas of our past can so easily be reinstated to the forefront of our minds? When I'm feeling weak, one hit of the inner voice saying "Is he looking at other girls?" has the potency to illuminate feelings of inadequacy and self-hate. These feelings and insecurities can harm our relationships, and make us feel not only un-loved, but un-loveable.  In order to truly feel the beauty of life and feel beauty from within, we must trust our choices, trust our partners, trust the past is over and done, and trust life's experiences to bring us closer to our true and beautiful self. What we do not have to trust are the voices in our heads that urge us to feel ugly, suspicious and unworthy of experiencing happiness, and beauty from within- and all around us.

There is room for all of us to be beautiful and fierce. Isn't there? YES! Then why so jealous and so afraid? Is it because of the past? Most have been hurt before- some betrayed, two timed, fooled, lied to and abused in some way.  That can bring us to a place where we are scared to trust- again. We may do some deep healing, dive into our souls and bring up old matters - and work to resolve them. And just when we are ready to trust again, and open our hearts more- a small incident could unravel all of the hard work done. But it hasn't really, it just rattled a thread that has come loose by your mind allowing negative thoughts inside the sacred temple of your trueself.. Don't get me wrong, where there is a real 'present-time' concern of being hurt by someone you love, you have different choices to make. But when your fear is driven by experiences of the past, and/or the thoughts cast out from a paranoid mind, that is different. 

Even though I have a healthy habit of instating positivity into my life at every breath, and even though my physical body is perhaps in the best shape of my life, and even though I have created the man of my dreams, I still stumble into feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and the fear of being betrayed again. No matter how good my new romantic partners are to me, old hurts of the past are ready and willing to pop back into the driving seat and move my life along in painful and limiting ways. Yes, even after mega-healings and ongoing inner work. My past has the power to rob me of my present. Does your past rob you of your present too? For all I/we have healed, there is more still. You may feel it too, and wonder how much longer can it go on- and WHY? Every time pain comes up- every time a painful wave hits, there resides an opportunity to heal from a new angle, perhaps with some new tools, or perspectives. When the shit gets tough on the inside- It is an opportunity for the YOU that is here, now- to become empowered and overcome who you were, or who the Fearful version of yourself tells you- you are. Step up.

Journal Time
Write out a conversation you could imagine in your mind. Hear 'your selves' speaking to each other, one is the Fearful you, and one is the Wise you. Listen in and take notes. You know the voices, they both exist if you listen close enough- one says nice things about you, the other says bad things about you. Write down what you hear. This is what I heard last night:

Fearful Self-
"I feel the past has robbed me of some strength, wisdom or softness I can no longer tap- insecurity looms heavily on my shoulders and I get down on myself. I project my insecurities onto my boyfriend's actions. I am scared he is more attracted to other girls."
Wise Self-
"Why so insecure? Why not relax into your personal power and beauty? What has happened in the past is no longer your truth, unless you allow it to be via your thoughts and projected insecurities. You must 'pen in hand'- write out all of your insecurities and turn them into positivities. Start there, that's a lot. When you get to there- read them aloud and get used to how these new positive thought forms feel. Allow yourself to acclimate to the higher mode of thinking, and you will eventually experience your new word forms as true."
Fearful Self-
"I can't do that, it doesn't matter if I write out this or that, because the past will surely repeat itself, and I will be hurt again. Because when I open my heart, I am betrayed and lied to over and over again. If I can somehow slip out of this relationship, then I wont have to deal with the next surge of these emotional complexities and he can go about his way and find someone more beautiful, attractive and confident. Yes- I will get out now. I will start carving my way out. I will make him/her dis-like me, and he will go away- so I don't have to deal with rejection, pain, father/mother issues, or most of all being betrayed again."
Wise Self-
"You have to stop thinking about these things so much. Place your attention elsewhere, busy yourself in other ways besides focusing on what could go wrong. Especially if there are no reasons for you to feel this way in your current relationship, by all means- pay attention to how you create your reality, and stop the defeating thoughts and words from cycling around and around.- Now go and do your written work; You must write out all of your insecurities and turn them into positivities. Start there. Read them aloud and get used to how these new positive thought forms feel. Allow yourself to acclimate to the higher mode of thinking and you will eventually experience being them too."

Does any of this conversation sound familiar? All of my Fearful Self words of sadness, expectation of the worst, and preferred loneliness -are aspects of an ego based and ego driven mind. When I say ego- I mean the 'I' inside of ME. It's the me me me me that can and does drive us crazy. We gotta catch that crazy bitch/son of a bitch and stop her/him in their tracks. You with me? Just last night I let myself get swept up in a hail storm of negative me me me me thoughts and feelings that started with me having feelings of insecurity and jealousy- that sprang to me hating myself, and having no self esteem or belief in my life - to then questioning why I am here at all. WTF? I was left feeling completely worthless and exhausted- and I was the only one who did it to myself. ME. Yes, the 'I', inside of ME. It's the 'you' inside of YOU too. There's the Fearful version of self- aka the Beast... and the Wise version of self- aka the Beauty. Pick one. Either way, it takes energy to feed and sustain it. With enough ammunition, each can become self sustaining and fulfilling prophecies. "I am ugly, unworthy, unloveable, jealous.." etc will become your reality. You may begin to seek out reasons to FEEL ugly, unworthy, unloveable and jealous- even if it is not true!

Equally; "I am beauty in motion, I trust life, I trust love, I am loved and respected by my partner." -will become your reality. Be it- maybe not with the partner you are with now. Meaning, YOU may not be ready to truly exhibit all of those qualities yet fully- but you are working on it by speaking it so. Or maybe the boyfriend or girlfriend you are with now is the one you will be making some serious breakthroughs with. Lucky you. Do it- express yourself fully, go ahead- get it all out. It takes a warrior to speak truth. Be a Warrior.

Our words and thoughts become real. That's why instilling positive messages into our minds and bodies, while paying attention to the words we speak over our selves and lives- can truly help to keep us FAR from the edge of hanging out with the inner Fearful 'Crazy' Beast. Words and thoughts have energy and energy is where beauty resides. Sure, pretty clothing or polished nails and make up can improve one's confidence and self esteem, but when the clothes go back on the hanger and all the make up comes off, who is left standing there? The real, vulnerable- you. Learning to love you is the most challenging and rewarding gift there is, in my view.

Lets do the work=-It's the shadow, the dark side, the Fearful self, the BEAST- that when conquered through choosing LOVE, Beauty, positivity and WISDOM- has no legs to stand on, and ultimately dissolves, giving way to the FREE and BEAUTIFUL YOU.

Transmute- Transform- Empower
Every time pain comes up- there is an opportunity to heal from a new angle, perhaps with new tools. It is an opportunity for the YOU that is here, now- to become empowered and overcome who you were in the past. The mind is a map (or trap). It displays the meeting of time, and 'spaces' throughout life. It acts as a blueprint for all perceived experiences to remain parked. Even when everything is perfect and flowing, would you find a reason to project negativity or fear-filled expectations into the backdrop of it all?

In the words of the 'Wise' voice-
"Now go and do your written work; You must write out all of your insecurities and turn them into positivities. Start there. Read them aloud and get used to how these new positive thought forms feel. Allow yourself to acclimate to the higher mode of thinking and you will eventually experience being them too."
Write out all of your insecurities and turn them into positivities. Remember, it's an inside job.
Here is how I got started:

I now transmute feelings of jealousy and insecurity into feelings of self-love and self acceptance.
I now transmute feelings of self hate into feelings of forgiveness of self and others.
I now transmute feelings of ugliness into feelings of beauty and strength.
I now transmute feelings of suspicion into feelings of trust and faith.
I now transmute feelings of betrayal into feelings of healing and ascension.
I now transmute feelings of misery and paranoia into feelings of balance and liberation.
I now transmute the past and use it's power to heal myself now. 

I LOve My Beautiful Body. Om and Goodnight...
Love and Light-
Tuesday May 




I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. 
Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any
 lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health. 
I am not responsible for any action you resume. You are- Make it pleasurable.
© Tuesday May Thomas 2013

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Yoga, 'Pranayama' & Meditation ~ A Lifestyle to Enhance Calm and Personal Power




I'm excited to share the cornerstones of my life-style with you! Welcome to a mini Yoga, 'Pranayama' and Meditation introduction. Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation help me stay balanced, and keep my energy positively charged- mind, body and soul. An ongoing discipline of the above practices produces inner clarity, a steady calm, and a silent wealth of empowerment. This comes about by aligning the student with the ability to access their higher self, or authentic (true) self, and inevitably, one's personal power. Perform these techniques along with me- increase the ability to love yourself and your Beautiful Body more each day! 
Blessings and Enjoy,
Tuesday May



YOGA

Yoga gifts us a graceful connection to the body via the breath. It serves to root us within the authentic self, while blessing us with an aptitude to be present, grateful and conscious of our thoughts and actions. It connects us to an endless, universal supply of life force energy, or Prana. The video links seem to have trouble appearing on the IPad, so I've added direct links below. Please scroll down to continue viewing blog <3

 
  Hip Opener 


PRANAYAMA


Pranayama (pronounced as it sounds) is the name given to yogic breathing practices that serve to extend the breath and enhance ones ability to channel and store life force energyPrana is life force energy- the invisible energy that gives life and motion to all things and beings. The more prana or life-force flows through you, the better your mind, body and emotions can run in harmonic balance with one another. Nadi Suddhi helps relieve stress and anxiety brought on by over-thinking. When performing this breathing exercise, envision breathing life force energy into your system. 
                 
Pranayama Nadi Suddhi 
        

                                                                                   
MEDITATION


When I started meditating it was hard to sit still. I was bombarded by a million thoughts pushing my mind here and there. Having a picture to paint helped me keep focused. Train your mind to stay centered in the present moment and detached from the past and future by trying a guided meditation. The title to this meditation is 'Deep Healing Reiki Meditation', and is appropriate for all levels. Reiki is an ancient form of hands-on healing whereby the individual is recognized as a conduit for the flow of prana. 

Deep Healing Reiki Meditation- Video

Guided Meditation 




I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. 
Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any
 lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health. 
I am not responsible for any action you resume.
© Tuesday May Thomas 2013

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Fear is exactly where I need to be


I'm with one of my best friends. "Fear is exactly where I need to be." She announces, referring to her recent 'Krav Maga' class. I nod and respond; "I know, right? It's time. I need to start reaching beyond my comfort zone."  Does this sound familiar? Have you hit a point where you are ready to expand, jump into unknown territory and challenge yourself? If so, lets go!

As you heal your life and re-write internal patterns to a more positive octave and strength, your body will want to stretch and breathe deeper. It will naturally seek to attempt more challenging practices. In tandem, your spirit will long to know itself beyond it's spiritual comfort zone. It becomes ready to discover new levels of strength, and strengthening- from within and without. As above, so below. 

It's not always easy- to trust, to have courage and step into the unknown. 

Bakasana - Crow Pose

PlateauA state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress. 


The hardest part of a new workout regime can be sticking to it. When you do, you begin to see results. But- what if after some time your routine leaves you wanting more? A pal recently informed me she has started 'Cross Fit' training because her ongoing gym routine has left her at a 'plateau'; a point of non-change. She was putting in the time, but not seeing further progress towards the target she envisions for herself. Do you feel the same way? By throwing herself into an incredibly hard and intimidating exercise routine- she is stretching beyond her comfort zone. She is finding out who she is beyond what she has known herself to be, up til now.

Personally, I feel a thirst to further my yoga practice by attending a yoga teacher training in the Fall. I found a teacher who is calling me to study. She is a bad-ass and I know she will help me reach places of healing and strength I never knew existed- within and outside myself. Maybe that is why I resisted her at first. I was afraid of her/my power. I have been practicing yoga for twenty years and teaching for over ten. I practice yoga at home, but I rarely go take a class! Without a teacher to 'push' me in my practice, I have hit my own plateau. I'm ready to trust and go deeper now, physically, spiritually and mentally.


CHANGE IT UP

Along with yoga, I teach a weekly Bodysculpt class. I feel it is my duty to leave students remembering the class they take on Friday- all weekend long. Every time they go to sit down, they are served a memory of the hard work they performed! With every laugh, their tummy might ache from building core muscle in new ways. I love teaching this class- it kicks my butt so hard! As we speak, my inner thighs and booty are alive and kicking, meaning we worked so many angles and repetitions, that I am now dreaming of an epsom salt bath, which I will take later. Every week we alternate the work we do. The core, triceps, legs and backside all receive a slew of same weekly practices Equally so, we always do something new to shock and push the body a little more. Bruce Lee used to change up his workouts constantly. In this way he kept every part of his body alive and aware. At the drop of a hat, he could move and access every fibre of his being. Remember how ripped he was- How in tune with his body he appeared to be? Every part of him was not only active- but activated.


When I work out- I alternate my flow on different days. For example; I usually start with cardio, move to the machines for leg and butt work, and end with floor work for the abs. One day I get my cardio by spinning. Another by stair master, or treadmill. Instead of doing the same exact workouts on the larger machines every time, I change which machines I use. Or vice-versa, I might work the arms and abs on the machines, and do all my leg and booty work on the floor mat. 

How can you change up or challenge yourself more in your workouts? For example If you usually do 10 sit ups, start doing 20. If you do 50, do 100. Try a variety of abdominal workouts and see how it feels. One day do squats, another day practice lunges. Try your squats/lunges with a resistance tube one day, and without the tube on another day. *Watch your body alignment here; Always keep your knees behind the ankles as you lower and rise with a squat & lunge positions.. When you work the inner thigh, do it in three different ways within the same workout- get all the angles....ohhh yeah! I'll keep showing you what I'm learning, and we will explore more ways to keep loving our beautiful bodies. For now, never let your workout be the same exact sequence every time. Also, challenge yourself to consciously (that means 'to do something on purpose')  think more kind and loving thoughts towards yourself and others.  


Not getting the results you want with everyday 'crunches'?
 Try the Wood Chopper!



Wood Chopper 
tighten loose skin- tone flab- build muscle 
http://www.tuesdaymaythomas.com/#!blogs/c1k2m


When you truly push yourself physically (& mentally), no matter what the exercise- the thoughts you have about yourself become challenged. The mind hits a wall. It will say 'You are tired' and 'You are too weak. This is scary new territory. Give up.It will tell you to Stop before you start. Don't be hard on yourself. Avoid taking the inner-bully thoughts personally. The inner bully is scared. Your job is to identify limiting 'talk' and flip the script. Re-write the inner speech you give attention to by changing  negative thoughts into positive ones. It is really not hard. It's just weird at first because you were maybe unaware you could create new possibilities in life- via the words and thoughts you share over it.  Be a bad-ass, own the journey you're on. Step aboard & speak positivity, possibility, and power into your life NOW.


Are you ready?
You will know you are ready, because you will be reading this blog post.

In order to grow a new mind, a new body, and a new emotional reality- we have to stretch out of the ones we currently live in. This will possibly require some healing, mourning and a lot of chocolate (for me anyway!). In order to love others and the world a little more, we have to learn to love ourselves more.


Homework: Take some time out. Breathe deeply, and go back in time. Yes, put on your time-travel hat and join me. Go back in time and see what is there to heal, so we may grow and  feel deserving of the beautiful changes we create, and so deeply desire. It's time to forgive- again, heal- again, bless it- again and let go of it- again.


Enjoy a bath, light a candle, breathe deeply, be grateful and relax....



Epsom Salts



I recommend epsom salt baths. If you are really hurting from a hard workout, pour the whole box into a hot bath (otherwise half will do) and soak for ten to fifteen minutes. Longer is fine too- just remember to shower off after you bathe. While 'scientific' evidence regarding it's abilities remains up in the air, I and many others swear by it. What I do know is soaking in an Epsom Salt bath helps to soothe aches and pains in my body and it has helped heal sprains and strains too. There is belief the salts pull toxins from the muscles, relieving us of being sore. Because of the drawing out affect the salts have, by all means- rinse off after you bathe.

Love and Light, Tuesday May 

I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. 
Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any
 lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health. 
I am not responsible for any action you resume.
© Tuesday May Thomas 2013