When someone else’s bathroom mirror inspires you, there is feeling of excitment and then an urge to find a pen in order to capture the new lesson.  The mirror I stared into just yesterday had a little sticky note with a quote from Mary Oliver:  ”What is your plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

When I read her words, I had to take another conscious breath.  The quote has been lingering in my head and in my heart.  You are on your own path in search of inspiration to validate your very precious self.  Using your bathroom mirror is another strategy to help you become your own best friend.  Imagine your best friend loving you unconditionally each and every time you look in your bathroom mirror.

Find some quotes to write on your mirror with lipstick or use those colorful sticky notes to carry messages that will energize your day.  The secret is to read them everytime you look in the mirror and smile back at yourself!

Here are a few messages that just might make the morning more fun and the day lighter.

*  Peace begins with your lovely smile!

*  Look deeply…listen with compassion!

*  Breathe, my dear!

*  Find some wild, crazy, delightful, fun today!

*  Look past those wrinkles…your essence is what matters!

*  Glad you are here, it takes courage to get out of bed!

*  Just look at you!  You are lovely!

*  Whatever you do today…laugh a lot!

*  Just breathe……. and be still!

There are hundreds of sites for morning inspiratioin, here is just one!

http://inspirationmorning.com/

Jack had an amazingly  positive attitude towards life  and wanted people to be healthy and happy.  Infact, the beautiful white dog he often had on the show was named “Happy”.   He was an inspiring example of living in the present moment and often would tell my mother…. “Don’t think about how old you are,  just think about today” .   Jack LaLanne, passed away last week at a sparkling 96 years young.

If you are young enough to remember Jack, enjoy a trip down memory lane:

In one of the YouTube video’s he shares with his audiance the plea for people to be happy and smile more.

In the second  video, his face exercises  made me and my mom  laugh until our stomachs hurt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEboAJf9UVc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isLJ024EdMA&feature=related

Practice the exercise of smiling and being happy.  You always have a choice and the opportunity to feel good.  Just decide that you will love your smiling self.

Be well and stay that way!

P.S.  Check out the Meditation for Beginners Class starting Tuesday February 1, 2011 at

Heartsong in East Longmeadow.

http://www.heartsongyoga.com/events/coursesforming/

No matter what the season, self care is a vital part of loving yourself.   Too often the stress becomes hysterical  and you begin to compromise your health and your well being.

This post is simply a reminder that paying attention to stress is the first step in making healthy choices to balance your life and move towards personal power.

Over 60 years ago, Dr Edward Bach, recognized the need for an emergency treatment to help people cope with such everyday stressful situations and created Rescue Remedy.  Check out the website:

http://www.rescueremedy.com/

RESCUE

If you feel like you’ve “had enough”, follow these simple tips to restore focus and regain inner calm wherever you are:

Relax – Take 10 deep breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.

Exercise - Learn some basic yoga techniques or just take a 10 minute walk.

Smile - Think of a happy time. It is near impossible to keep frowning while smiling and laughter stimulates the production of mood enhancing endorphins.

Calm – Let your imagination take you to a calm and tranquil place that exudes peace, serenity and beauty.

Use Your Lunchbreak – Take time out for yourself. A walk in the park, especially if it is sunny, can do wonders for your mood. It will help you work more efficiently in the afternoon too.

Escape – If you are able to, walk away. Removing yourself from a stressful situation can give you time to restore some perspective.

Know that you are one of the most significant people in the lives of the children you teach.

Practice “Excellent Self Care” …for your sake and for all those who love you!

Including yourself!

Gifts for TEACHERS:  sign up for a Free Report at   loveyoursignificantself.com

More create tips on how to take care of yourself!

www.lysscentral.com/teachers/blog/page/2

A community theater production
recently motivated me to play some
Broadway tunes from years ago.

While doing household chores this weekend,
I cranked up the volume and listened to
the songs I remembered and fell in love
again with the musical memories.

Enjoy Linda Eder singing from
“Man of La Mancha”… That show was
my first Broadway Musical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ynrky_iw6Q&feature=related

My home was filled with the sounds of musical
theater and the housework seemed effortless.
I delighted in singing along and sometimes
dancing with carefree enthusiasm.

Music can stir the energy that lightens
your heart, soothes your soul and inspires
your spirit.

Honor your lovely singing self by playing
some of your old favorite musical show tunes.

While no one is watching, sing along,
dance in the kitchen and turn on the
light you have within your very precious self.

Pass this along and have your friends sign up for F*ree
http://loveyourslimself.com/

Keep singing,
Smiles,
gena

My four year old granddaughter, Aliya,
is asking for a white shirt and black
trousers to replace the fluffy, extravagant
gowns of story book royalty.

Although she has never seen the movie,  
“Star Wars”, this young Jedi is captivated
by the epic saga being told by
her elders.  

Rather than playing the wicked witch,
or the jealous queen, from the
fairy tales, Aliya is using fantasy
and make-believe to reconcile the
same struggles between good and evil.

The inner voice, the one that
Obi-Wan Kenobi represents in “Star Wars”,
is clear and brilliant for all of us.  
When you learn to love yourself, you develop
the courage to know what is right and what
is in your best interest.

Listen to the soft voice that comes from your
heart. Have faith and a commitment to
begin to tame any self doubting statements,
negative thoughts or self criticisms.

Know that your are loved and self love
is the highest force in the universe.  

We are all brave Jedi Knights in this human
adventure. Now, go forth and delight in life.

“May the Force be with YOU”

Gena

P.S.  In my book  “Love Your Slim Self” you’ll find
ideas that were inspired by “Yoda”, the Jedi Master
in “Star Wars”.
Take a look:
http://lysscentral.com

Pass along “THE FORCE” and send teachers and educators to:
http://loveyoursignificantself.com

She caught me by surprise when she said,  
“allow yourself to take up as much space
as you would like.”  

Her words triggered an expansion of
possibility in my mind.  

Did she intend for me to sprawl out on
the mat or was her instruction meant
to magnify my inner self by taking up
more space?

The challenging action was to focus
on an internal expansion of myself.  
As I began to mentally take up more
space, I had the feeling of confidence,
connection, hopefulness, security and
even optimism.  

The impulse to smile came without warning
and I melted away any doubt that my lovely
self was the most important person in the
moment.

Let the yoga mat remind you of your own
significance and how precious you are.

Your  ability to take up space in the
world is a birth right. You are encouraged
to let your light shine.

Enjoy the sense of connection with your
body and love yourself into becoming
your own best friend.

Smiles,
Gena

P.S.  You can get my book “Love Your Slim Self”
at  http://lysscentral.com

One of my favorite things to do,
when I have a little time to fuss
in the kitchen, is to make a pie.

There was a moment that I thought
I must be crazy to bake in such heat,
but my attention was captivated by
what my hands were doing.

Without any prompting, the appendages
of digits on my forelimbs, had a
mind of their own.

I watched with amazement as my hands
wandered in and out of the flour
container measuring and sifting
the ingredients to prepare the
pie crust.  

The  memory of shape and thickness
came naturally as my hands grabbed the
rolling pin and began flattening
the dough.  They knew exactly when
to stop rolling.  

A moment of tender reflection
twinkled in my mind, as I remembered
my mother’s love of baking pies.

Take time to stop and watch the
actions of your own hands. Perhaps
you can pay attention when you are
driving, typing on the computer,
gardening, knitting, cooking,
brushing your teeth, eating dinner
or getting dressed.

Smile at your hands and say out loud,
“thank you”.  Offer this gesture
of gratitude to your hands for all
they do for you.

Loving your hands is a simple
and honest way to connect to your
body.  Loving yourself is the
beginning of connecting to your joy.

Enjoy the pie!
Smiles, gena

p.s. Please pass along to friends and family:

My website for fr*ee downloads:  http://lysscentral.com

Your health and well Being:  http://love.reliv.com

On a sunny afternoon, I had a
delightful opportunity to
visit Claire and Mystery, two
beautiful horses. They were
charming, majestic and very
well behaved.

But horse training????
How can that possibly help us
love ourselves.

The Parelli Method of Natural
Horsemanship is a way to have
fun with horses and achieve
amazing results.

The basic philosophy is that there
really are no problems, just solutions
waiting to happen.

The first principal is that
HORSES are fine just the way
they are.

The next consideration is that
the only training aids are love,
language and leadership in
equal amounts.

Simply stated it is relationship,
communication and trustworthiness
that makes the difference.

I was able to capture the strength
and beauty of Mystery on video.

Think about your journey to training
yourself towards self love.

Check YouTube Love Your Slim Self or try the link

http://www.youtube.com/user/LoveYourSlimSelf#p/a/u/0/ex5ii6wMnOE

Are you just fine, the way you are?
Are you cultivating love and positive
inner self talk as you lead yourself towards
a happier and a more joyous life?

Consider the relationship you are cultivating
with yourself. You are precious and your effort
to fall in love with yourself is the foundation
for personal health, happiness and well being.

Be well and stay that way,
Gena

LULU.com has a summer offer for my book follow the link:
http://bit.ly/dvzX6z

In less than an hour, trees and
power lines dropped like leaves
falling to the ground.  When the
lights went out and the computer
sounded off, I was sure it Kansas,
in the middle of Dorothy’s
tornado.

Destruction happened quickly and
without warning.  There was a
whirlwind of debris all over the
neighborhood.

In the morning light and the calm of
the next day, we were able to
assess the damage and put things
back in balance.

In the wake of the fury, we could only
wait for the storm to pass before we
could make things right.  

Have you had the experience of an
emotional storm rise inside you,
without warning, and throw you off
center?

In that emotional fury, did you
choose to express the energy as an
angry outburst,a disappointing encounter,
an irritating look, a frustrating
conversation, an annoying attitude
or even a violent attack?

If you wait for the storm to pass, just
wait it out, the emotional energy will
move THROUGH you rather than USING
you to do damage to those
you love and cherish.

Practice being your own best friend and
wait with yourself until the tempest moves on.

Linger in a place of patience, compassion,
love, gratitude and forgiveness.  The energy
will calm, your thinking will clear, your attitude
will become kind, your heart will open and you
will make a different choice of behavior.  

There will be no mess to clean up in the morning.

Practice the self love you are learning and
remember to be your own best friend.

Be well and stay that way,
Gena

P.S.  Please pass along the websites
for learning to love your precious self
http://lysscentral.com

P.P.S. and for your health and well being
http://love.reliv.com

When you actually look at your reflection,
have you ever just smiled and winked at the
face looking back?

What thoughts run through your mind?
Are you willing to be the one to give
yourself the pep talk rather than waiting
for others to do it for you?

Take a look at Jessica and her enthusiasm
for demonstrating what being in love
with yourself LOOKS like. We are always
in a state of remembering the skills of
“Excellent Self Care”!

After watching the video, notice the smile
on your face. You are beginning to
understand what being your own
best friend actually FEELS like.

In less than 50 seconds,
Jessica gives us all hope!

Click on the link or google
Jessica’s “Daily Affirmation”
and enjoy!

Smiles,
Gena

p.s. I am presenting a class called
Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention,
let me know if you, or someone you love,
would like more information.