Congratulations Get Up Girls! Fall 2009

What an amazing 9 weeks we shared with 9 amazing women!

We laughed, we dreamed, we explored and found out some wonderful things about ourselves in the process. Women in our groups always tell us how much they receive from being in our program, and truly the gift is ours as well! We leave each week inspired and excited about what is possible, and feel a deep sense of fulfillment from being a part of each woman's transformation.

We end our nine weeks with a bittersweet sense of completion, and gratitude for the time we spent together and the bonds we've shared. Get Up Girls, we celebrate you, your success and your journey!

Thanks to ALL the amazing women that have taken our Get Up Girl 9 Week Signature Coaching Series! We are about to enter our third year of doing this work and we are profoundly grateful to you and your commitment to yourselves. We are blessed and look forward to another powerful year of growth and expansion.

Wishing you and yours a Joyful Holiday and a New Year filled with Love and Delight! ~ Margalit & Shannon

'Get Up Girl opened up new doors in my life. I have learned invaluable lessons and have been inspired to take my business and personal life in bright new directions. The support and wealth of knowledge I have gained from the workshop will last a lifetime. I genuinely recommend Get Up Girl to all women, it will change your life like it has mine!'
– Eileen Aghekian, Owner of Swim Academy

4 Tips to Staying Sane During the Holidays

Get Up Girl Alaia Williams, of One Organized Life, shares 4 tips to staying sane during the holidays.

How is December treating you? This month tends to bring a lot of hustle and bustle - and stress! I encourage you to pace yourself to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

What can you do to avoid holiday overwhelm this year?

1) Make a list of priorities - what's really important for you to accomplish between now and the end of the year?

2) Create goals that support your priorities.

3) Don't bite off more than you can chew. There is only one of you - create bite-sized action steps to help you achieve the goals you set. Don't be afraid to delegate and defer!

4) Set aside time every day to work on your goals.

Though balance can't always be achieved in all aspects of our lives, now is the time to make sure your responsibilities are handled and that you make time for the people who are most important to you. Don't be afraid to say no to the 15th party invitation you receive this holiday season if you need to wrap up business and spend time with family. But on the flip side of that - don't forget to allow yourself some fun and relaxation time.

I've chosen to attend only two holiday events this month so that I can continue to work on wrapping up the 2009 goals I set for myself. Updating my contact database, creating outlines for my 2010 presentations, and streamlining my schedule will help me leaps and bounds come January 1st. But I can tell you this - I had a blast at the Freelance Frolic last week and I am really looking forward to my friend's holiday party on Thursday!

What's your plan?

Alia Williams is the founder of One Organized Life that offers a variety of professional organizing services that help you make sense of your space, improve work flow, and increase productivity. She can be contacted at:
alaia@oneorganizedlife.com
877-660-4738 ext 701

You Make Me Feel Lovely

See what Nadine Fawell has to say about feeling lovely, letting go and new beginnings.

By Nadine Fawell

For the title of this piece, I am quoting a student of mine, who is one of the sexiest women I have ever met. The first time she walked into class, I thought *wow*. This is a woman who experiences herself as beautiful, and you can see by how she moves that she is moving in the innate sensuality of Life. It’s very powerful.

When I knew her better, I told her this. And she replied that yes, she does experience life in this way, and it’s interesting because it has removed her need for another to help her experience her loveliness. She also said that when we say to someone, after sex, for example, that we love them, what she thinks we are really saying is this:

Interesting. Because when we are in intimate relationship, be it with a friend, a lover, a child, what we are mostly seeing is the version of ourselves that this person reflects back to us. This is why relationship is so important for self-learning. Everyone will show you a different aspect of yourself. All are valid. Even in abusive situations, once you can step back and look clearly, you may see something there. I had an incident a few months back where someone was incredibly verbally abusive towards me (don’t panic, it wasn’t my husband!), and it gave me a lot of insight into some old, no longer useful, patterns of behavior and thinking that I still have, which is why I allowed the person into my life in the first place. And, for a long time, allowed them to treat me in this way. No more, though, and, hopefully, if I can keep my eyes open to it, not again.

But I feel that I had to have that particular connection in order to learn about boundaries and self-respect and choosing my battles. So I am grateful. Because although I see those parts of me that aren’t so pretty reflected in this person’s words, I love me anyway. I think I am as good as I can be.

As I have said before, over the last few months, my spiritual practice has sustained me in a deep, deep way, as have my friendships and connections with those I love and who love me. I believe that I ended my marriage in the best way I could, that I behaved as best I could. This gives me great relief. I am not saying I behaved perfectly, but I did behave with compassion and kindness and forethought. Because things could have unfolded very differently, and if they had, I would have been more hurt, and so would my husband. So this ending, even, has given me cause to say that I feel lovely. And even at the end, a beginning. I love and I am loved.

Which brings me to beginnings. I can think of no more powerful time of Shakti, Life, flowing, than the way it does between two people who are attracted to each other. Shakti is always in us, of course. It is the Divine that animates us and is always, always present, even when it feels like it isn’t. If we weren’t with That which made us, we wouldn’t be alive. Simple. But so much easier to feel when you are in a room with someone and the love hormones are flowing. Sharing food, sharing touch, talking, laughing. And sometimes, that flows into something long-term. Deep intimacy. Where the deepest learning of Life happens. And sometimes, where new Life is made. The Ultimate Union.

This article was originally published on FindBliss.com

Nadine Fawell has been teaching yoga for five years. She has logged about 3000 hours of experience, both in group and private settings. Her main influence, both as a teacher and as a practitioner of yoga, comes from the Krishnamacharya lineage. She has travelled to India twice to study with TKV Desikachar and his teachers at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram and now considers Mark Whitwell to be one of her most influential teachers. Check out her blog at: http://nadinefawell.net/

It's Time For a Monthly Review

It's a new month and it's time to get re-focused!

Each month in our Get Up Girl Women's Coaching Group we encourage taking the time to do a Monthly Review. I know for myself that whenever I make the time to do this exercise I get enormous value from reflecting on what is and isn't working in my life at the moment. It also assists in clarifying what is really important in my life right now, which supports making better decisions in how I use my time. And it only takes a few minutes. Clear intentions = wiser choices = less stress & more ease.

Best of all, a Monthly Review is an opportunity to appreciate yourself and experience gratitude for the blessings in your life. We often forget to acknowledge how much we do accomplish, and appreciate who we are. So make a cup of tea, get a pad and pen, sit in your favorite chair, and take some time to reflect and re-focus.

Monthly Review Exercise: It's important to write your answers down.

1. What worked this month?

2. What didn't work?

3. What am I most proud of?

4. What am I grateful for?

5. What still needs more improvement?

6. What do I want to focus on for the coming month?

After doing this exercise, use the insights you've gained to support yourself in making SMART Goals for the month. Remember to keep your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and with a Time Frame. Then take your goals for the month and break them down into doable Weekly Action Steps.

Congratulations! You're ready to take on December with more clarity, grace and ease. Make it a great month!

“It takes a person who is wide awake to make his dream come true.”
– Roger Babson


The Monthly Review is taken from our Get Up Girl workbook (copyright 2009), 'Your Time is Now'. To purchase a copy or to find out more contact us at info@getupgirl.org. Or website: getupgirl.org

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A Healthy Serving of Gratitude: 3 Recipes to Nourish Your Soul

Pass the gravy, biscuits, salt, and butter please. Eating with wild abandon this holiday season couldn’t possibly lead to better health, could it? Unfortunately it cannot, but adding a daily dose of gratitude can help you to feel happier, less stressed, and may actually improve your health.

It has been proven that daily practice of gratitude can actually improve your health and happiness by improving your immune system. A gratitude study conducted by Dr. Michael McCollough, of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Robert Emmons, of the University of California at Davis, indicates that gratitude plays a significant role in a person’s sense of well being and health.

This holiday season try to focus not only on your “blessings” before you eat, but make an intention to reflect on what is good in your life instead of worrying about what is wrong. When you dust off your recipe book, create a new section that includes the following recipes, each loaded with a healthy dose of gratitude.

Recipe 1: You already have the ingredients you need:

Ingredients:

3-5 minutes of uninterrupted time.

Most of us spend an enormous amount of time and energy thinking about the things we want, that new car, new job, bigger house. A daily practice of gratitude can help us appreciate not only what we have, but can help us appreciate the things we often take for granted.

Set aside 3-5 minutes a day (about as long as it takes you to brush your teeth). This can be a car commute, during a work out, while taking a shower, really anytime that you are alone to practice being grateful for the things, people, and situations you have in your life.

1. Start by listing the items or things you have in your life that you are grateful for.

Example: I am grateful for my spacious home and working car.

2. Move onto being grateful for the people you have in your life

Example: I am grateful for my supportive husband and spirited daughter.

3. Then practice being grateful for the situations or places you are in.

Example: I am grateful for my sustainable career.

After listing the items you are grateful for take a deep breath and enjoy all of the incredible aspects of your life that bring you joy and fulfillment.

Recipe 2: Sweetening life by acknowledging what you do.

Ingredients:

30-60 minutes of uninterrupted time

1 pen

1 piece of writing paper

1 blank piece of card stock, or thick paper

1-5 magazines

1 glue-stick

There are so many things we do everyday that we take for granted. What would life be like if we didn’t have the ability to use some of the natural abilities and tools that we have? Being grateful for the things we do naturally can help us to refocus our energy from all that we want to accomplish, to appreciating all that we are able to do effortlessly everyday.

1. Start by writing a list of 5-10 things you are grateful you are able to do. These can be simple qualities that you may not often appreciate or even acknowledge.
Example: I am a good dancer, I make people laugh, I make great lasagna, I make people feel good.

2. Find images in a magazine that represent the qualities you are grateful for. Cut out the items.

3. Paste the items on your blank piece of card stock to create a Gratitude Vision Board.

4. Write the sentences from your list next to the image. Start with I am thankful for…

5. Place your Gratitude Vision Board somewhere where you will see it often. When you look at it, remind yourself of all the things you have to be grateful for.

Recipe 3: Gratitude, a healthy way to be.

Ingredients:

1 bed

1 journal (optional)

1 calendar (optional)

1 post-it pad (optional)

Gratitude can be a state of mind, an emotion, an attitude, a condition of the soul, or a prayer (if you will). After practicing gratitude, many people report feeling a sense of peace and a greater connection to themselves and to the divine.

1. Before bed, take a few moments to list everything and everyone you are grateful for. Write this list in a journal or simply say to yourself in your mind.

2. Repeat this nightly for 32-days and notice a deeper sense of peace, better sleep, and a greater sense of happiness.

3. Keep track of each night you practice your gratitude list near you bed, so you can track your progress for 32-days.

4. Write a few of the things you are grateful for on Post-it pages and place in visible place like the mirror, your car, or your computer.

So, go ahead, dig into the buttered potatoes and be sure to top it off with a decadent helping of sweet gratitude. By adding some of these gratitude recipes to your family’s collection you can improve your chances of feeling healthier, happier, and more peaceful all year long.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Shannon and Margalit

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Appreciate and Give Thanks

Get Up Girl Liane Schmidt reminds us of the power of gratitude.

Taking the time to stop and give thanks for all the things in your life that you have is an important habit to get yourself used to. Every time you do take the time to give thanks, it lifts your spirit up. It keeps you feeling positive and lets you know that no matter what there is always something in your life that is wonderful.

While maybe you do not have the millions you aspire and know you will have one day, you do have your health, or maybe you have a friend who understands you more than anyone else in the world, someone you know who would do anything for you. This is not something to be overlooked or forgotten. The things in your life are rare gifts. They are precious incomparable to anything else in your life. Every time you take the time to really sit and either think about or better yet write down what you are thankful for you will feel happier and you will be able to accomplish more in your life.

Just think, if Donald Trump sank down into a black hole of misery and despair when he was in debt for millions of dollars, he would have never been able to bounce back and become the billionaire real estate icon that he is today.

Life sets roadblocks and challenges in our paths to help us discover who we really are; what we are really made of when push comes to shove. We are all learning every step of the way. We will continue to learn the rest of our lives. But, when we take the time to appreciate what we have, we are pulled out of any bad feeling of despair and “injected” with a sudden rush of energy and joy that acts to further propel us forward toward our dreams.

So, take time every day to give thanks for what you have in your life. It will make an incredible difference in your life. It only takes a few minutes of your day depending on how long you want to spend doing this, but it will improve your life.

For more great reading:

• All Things in Life Happen for a Reason
• Your Path is Filled With Happiness
• Strength Will Always be by Your Side
• It’s Important to Take Care of Your Thoughts

to read more of Liane Schmidt's writing click here

How Not To Be A Horse's A#$%!: 3 Tips For When You Blow A Public Fuse

By Get Up Girl Debbie Robins
Originally Published on the Huffington Post

It's been a month now since American pop culture witnessed three consecutive bursts of public anger. Serena Williams, wielding her racquet as a weapon at the U.S. Open, kick-started a week in which Kanye West stole the microphone from young, doll-faced Taylor Swift at the MTV Awards, and ended with Congressman Joe Wilson shouting down the President of the United States like a British heckler. Seemed like every time we checked the Yahoo! homepage, another icon had blown a fuse. Suddenly it seems we are on the verge of retreating to barbarism, screaming at each other when we don't get our way. A lot of us felt like Marilynne Robinson in The Death of Adam: "I miss my civilization, and I want it back!"

But what interested me about the WW&W triad (Williams, West, and Wilson) was what could be learned from their mistakes. We've all been in situations like that, albeit not as public. Every day our equilibrium is disturbed in ways not entirely dissimilar from theirs. We get called on the carpet for something we didn't do, just like Serena got nailed for a foul she didn't think she committed. We get disappointed when we feel like the wrong people get rewarded, just as Kanye felt when his pal didn't receive the moonman. And we all grow angry over our government not working as well as we'd like, just as Joe Wilson did.

The real question is how can we respond in ways that don't add rage to our world, presently engaged in more conflicts than ever before? It's all connected - your everyday anger contributes to the global fury. Here's my Kick-Ass Advice that WW&W might consider if they're faced with challenging circumstances again:

KAA #1: Learn to take three breaths, even when you're breathless. Have something you say to yourself that buys you time. (I am a peaceful person. Or: I can handle this. Or: I am not going to let this person make an ass out of me). Think of something that brings you instant calm--see your child, envision your pet, hear the sound of running water. Create a space between the incident that has riled you up and your response to it. It is in that space that you have a choice, the choice about how you want to react. This is not easy to do when you're hurt, angry and/or riding your righteous horse of indignation. But if you care about diminishing the level of hostility on this planet, it is a moral obligation. And it benefits you too!

KAA#2: If you blow it, and we all do, apologize quickly. However, do not apologize until you can assume full accountability for your actions. Qualified apologies stink! How many times have you heard an apology start nicely and then fall apart with a thinly veiled excuse included? "I'm sorry...if you were offended." Or "I apologize...if that's what you thought." Or "I'm sorry...that you chose to hear it that way." No excuses needed! WW&W all got this one wrong. Who can forget Joe Wilson standing in front of that bank of microphones saying, "The Republican leadership has asked me to apologize, and so I have done that." Hmmm. Not so convincing! Imagine how powerful it would have been if he'd looked straight into the camera and said, simply, "I was wrong. I'm sorry." Period.

KAA #3: Share your humanity. Acknowledge the source of your anger. Be vulnerable. Joe Wilson did make one statement that was revealing. Why did he scream at the president? "I let my emotions get the best of me," he said. Exactly! Spot on, Joe! Any outburst is the result of our being out of control, letting the chaos of the world seep inside and make chaos in us. This is particularly difficult when you're a competitive person in a competitive environment. And we want our athletes to be competitive! We want our politicians to be passionate! We want our entertainers to be unforgettable! And we want to be committed employees, parents, citizens, too! But we have to be in control of that passion. We have to learn to be fervent without judging the other person. Why? Because judgment festers hatred.

These latest public meltdowns remind me of how poorly our culture prepares us for such moments. Imagine how much money WW&W have spent on media training. But nowhere in that education it seems, or in the education of any of us for that matter, is there a designated sphere to train us how to be better humans when life tests us to the max.

Learning conflict resolution is the primary path to sustainable peace on this planet. (That, and resolving the inhuman disparities between rich and poor.) We will always disagree about something. That is a given. The challenge is to be able to respond in a way that is resolute, yet peaceful. Our current president was certainly born with--and has cultivated--a remarkably calm response mechanism to differing points of view that is remarkable to witness. For most of us though, choosing peace in the face of life's injustices takes work, education and lots and lots of practice. Peace is, after all, a muscle, not an ideal. Just imagine if, starting in first grade, Peace 101 was right before English and just after history. We'd not only know how to read, write and think well, we'd know what to do when the crap hit the fan.

Life is filled with crap! Kick-Ass Advice will show you how to shovel it and emerge the victor.

Debbie Robins, Hollywood film producer, career coach to more than 1500 executives and entrepreneurs, advice blogger for The Huffington Post, advice columnist for the Washington Times Communities, upcoming radio host and bestselling author, shares her seven key strategies to achieve peace and happiness in Shovel It!: Kick-Ass Advice to Turn Life’s Crap Into the Peace and Happiness You Deserve (Alyson Books; November 2009). She invites you to visit her website and download the FREE first chapter. www.kickassadvice.com

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Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debbie-robins

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debbie-robins/how-not-to-be-a-horses-a_b_318962.html

Turn Your Weekend Into A Staycation!

photograph courtesy of Lev Vertov

Summer is over but do you still need a vacation? One of our favorite Life Coaches, Eli Davidson, recently shared an article with us on how to turn your weekend into a "staycation".

"Staycation" Nation
As I wave good-bye to summer, I realize how very precious and restorative a vacation is. So I decided to make my weekend into a "staycation". If you aren't taking a one, two or three week vacation, it is essential that you give yourself a weekend "staycation" at least once a quarter.

Here are tips from my weekend "staycation".

1. Take A Vacation....From Your PDA
One of the fastest ways to unwind is to take a vacation from your PDA. As a culture we are accustomed to being "wired" all day every day. I put the phone in a kitchen drawer.

2. Is Your Name Martha?
Unless your name is Martha Stewart and you just love, love, love to organize drawers do not turn your "staycation" into a chore and errand festival. (I had a client whose hobby was ironing -so I know that those folks are out there!) If you know that you are more relaxed with a tidy home take the weekend before your weekend "staycation" to clean.

3. The 12 Steps.
Even when on holiday many Americans only take a 'semi vacation". They lug their laptop to the beach and I have seen them talking on their cell phones while taking a hike. They allow themselves to work "1 or 2 hours" a day. If you aren't fully disconnected from your work, you aren't allowing yourself to truly replenish. A semi vacation isn't the real vacation your body needs.
How do you avoid that? The 12 Step Rule.

Take 12 steps away from your computer, blackberry, iPhone. If you can't take the 12 steps away from your computer for two days...you may be addicted to the over stimulation it represents.

Take a real break for two days a month.

4. It's Nap Time.
"After the going's been tough the tough get horizontal." If you are like most Americans you have a sleep debt. Take some vacation time to catch up on your zzzzzz's. Studies show that lack of sleep is a huge stressor for your body. It feels luxurious to nap when your body asks for sleep.

***
Eli Davidson is a nationally recognized executive coach and motivational
speaker. Her book, "Funky to Fabulous: Surefire Success Stories for The Savvy, Sassy and Swamped", (Oak Grove Publishing) has won three national book awards.

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Mercury in Retrograde

Get Up Girl astrologer, Phyllis Firak-Mitz, keeps us informed on some outstanding Astrological Energies forming over the coming 2 weeks.

First, Mercury is Retrograde between September 7th through September 29th. This is terrific for introspection and reviewing recent decisions and assumptions to insure they truly work for you.

But Mercury Retrograde is also when communications can get a little screwy. So be clear in what you say. Be flexible too, as Mercury Retro can also signal disruptions in plans, travels, equipment, and agreements.

I’ve listed below where each Sun Sign might experience this Mercury Retrograde the most. Those born September 12th-28th, March 12th-26th, June 11th-17th and December 12th-26th might be most sensitive this Mercury Retrograde’s “change of plans” energies.

Some people hold off making major decisions during Mercury Retrograde because matters are so changeable. But don’t hold off moving forward in life. Just prepare a “Plan B” incase what you agree to or expect goes a bit awry.

Be especially mindful September 18th and 19th . Deeper implications of things can surface then. You may also come to realize hidden issues and conflicts that need to be addressed.

Other outstanding constellations involve Venus, the Planet of Love. She is in strong aspect to Inspiring Jupiter, Dreamy Neptune and Sensitive Moon - all between now and September 16th. This can really heighten our relationships! These love/spiritual aspects can also help us see the beauty in others and reach beyond our normal experience of love – especially between September 12 and September 16th.

But these Venus aspects could also make us a little reckless and indulgent in our alliances. Enjoy yourself but use good sense and continue to make sure people are who you really think they are.

Here’s where your Sun Sign might feel this month’s Mercury Retrograde the most:

Aries: Relationships, Work, Health Taurus: Love, Kids, Work, Health
Gemini: Home, Family matters, Love, Kids
Cancer: Communications, Travel, Contracts, Home, Family Matters
Leo: Finances, Belongings, Home, Family
Virgo: YOU, Your appearance, Relationships, and Finances
Libra: Your beliefs, Spiritual and Sacrifice Matters, YOU
Scorpio: Friends, Groups, Beliefs, Matters of Spirituality and Sacrifice
Sagittarius: Career, Reputations, Friends, Goals
Capricorn: Travel, Legal matters, Inspiration, Career and Reputation
Aquarius: Sex, Death, Others’ Crises, Money, and Travel, Legal matters
Pisces: Relationships, Sex, Death, Financial matters

www.astrologerphyllis.com

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Affirm What You Want!

You may recall how we love using and sharing positive affirmations with our readers. For those of you that may be new to affirmations, here is a quick description. They are positive statements, usually beginning with the words, "I Am", and used to assist people in transforming negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs into new supportive thoughts and beliefs. It's a lot like reprogramming a computer with new information.

During our Get Up Girl 9-Week Coaching Group, the women in our program develop their own affirmations. We take time to explore what limiting beliefs may be holding them back, and then they create affirmations to support a new way of thinking and being. We are always inspired by how creative and powerful each woman’s affirmations are, so we asked if we could share some of them with our larger Get Up Girl community.

Here are a few to lift and inspire you. Enjoy!

I love and accept myself, I am safe.

I am willing to forgive the past, it’s safe for me to go beyond my parents’ limitations.

I am guided throughout this day in making the right choices.

I have the talent, and the timing is right for me to be successful doing something I love.

I am living in the moment.

I am learning to love myself and others.

My body is beautiful, supple and firm.

I constantly have new insights and new ways of looking at my world.

I am willing to change and grow.

I choose my thoughts with care.

I am financially abundant and free.

I am fulfilled in my career.

I am grateful for my happy and loving relationship.

I am nourishing myself with love.

Feel free to share your affirmations with us, by commenting to this post or emailing us at info@getupgirl.org. We always enjoy learning new affirmations and love hearing from you!

Photo by Margalit Ward

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Are You Expanding Your Comfort Zone?

photograph courtesy of Lev Vertov

The first time you tried something new, was it comfortable or uncomfortable? Most would say uncomfortable. What happened after you did it a few times? Did it became more and more comfortable? As we grow, we expand our comfort zone. The only time we are actually growing is when we are uncomfortable.

I am constantly inspired by my mother. At 60 years old, she is embarking on a new career as a yoga instructor. She has accomplished a lot in her lifetime (including raising 4 children) and reinvented herself a few times over the years. I was surprised to see her experiencing self-doubt during her final Phoenix Rising yoga exam. At one point she even said, "I am afraid that I am not good enough." In that moment, I felt very connected to my mother's anxiety. Even she felt uncomfortable moving into a new role. She then said, “Well, I guess that means that I am growing.”

Ask yourself: Where am I feeling comfortable? Do I feel anxiety about trying something new? Am I playing too safe? How can I push myself to expand my comfort zone? When feeling anxious, remind yourself that you are exactly where you want to be, growing.

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Make Your Own Goat Cheese

I am visiting my home state of Vermont this summer where fresh farm raised food and organic gardening is the norm. Last Sunday morning after practicing meditation at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery in Lincoln, Vermont with Khenmo Drolma, I was blessed with an offering of tea and homemade goat cheese. I was amazed at the fresh herb flavor of the cheese and surprised to find that the recipe is quite simple to make. A special thanks Amatual Hannan for sharing her recipe with the Get Up Girl Community!

Things You'll Need: * Colander * Cheesecloth * Goat milk * Fresh lemon juice or vinegar * A large pot * Ladle * Salt and pepper to taste * Buttermilk (optional) * Additional seasonings (optional)

1. Make a grocery list and obtain the basic materials needed to make the cheese. The list includes goat milk (about 1/2 gallon), lemons, kosher salt and cheese cloth. Also, you may also add buttermilk for an extra creamy flavor, if desired.

2. Heat the milk in a stainless steel/non-reactive pot to at least 185 degrees (or low heat). Allow to simmer, watching carefully to avoid boiling or burning.

3. Remove the milk from heat and allow to sit. Add lemon (or vinegar), stirring until the curds separate from the whey. The mixture should look like large clumps of cottage cheese when properly separated.

4. Line a colander with several layers of the cheesecloth. Ladle curds into a strainer, discarding the whey.

5. Allow curds to cool, squeezing as much moisture out of them as possible. Put curds in a bowl and season with sea salt. You can also add other seasonings of your choice, such as Herbs de Provence or whatever else you desire.

6. Press curds into the bowl to make a block, or wrap in cheesecloth. Place curds in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 days before removing and tasting.

Enjoy this amazing and special treat with friends this summer!

Love to you all,

Shannon

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Astrological Update

Get Up Girl Astrologer Phyllis Frank- Mitz keeps us updated on what is happening in the stars. Looks like a fruitful month for most of us, check out your sign below...

Between now and July 13th unique astrological energies will help reveal whether something we’ve been hoping for, dreaming of can come to fruition. Finances, values/and or resources are at the root of this decision. Is there enough (of something) to see our goals through? Do others value what we have to offer?

For some people the answer to these questions is “Yes!” They’ll be challenged to tackle the practical nuts and bolts of securing success.

But July 1st-13th can also be a time when many become “disillusioned” about someone or something.
* Some may realize they’ve been banking on something elusive. They may need to start again with a new strategy.
* Conflicts between personal things like money, values, security with social issues such as friends, groups, or even nations are likely.
* We could realize we’ve held false beliefs or expectations about ourselves or others

If you are disillusioned, welcome the clarity. Use conflicts to establish new priorities rather than bulldoze something or someone of value out of your life.

Forgiveness can work wonders now.
* Take others off the hook of any expectations you’ve been holding them to. Can you live with what they do offer?
* Avoid temptations to act with stubborn “my way or the highway” resistance or righteous intolerance. Such stances could push matters to premature or unpleasant (or both!) endings.
* Evaluate if your loyalties are correctly placed. Allow yourself to step away from commitments that aren’t right for you.
* Apply heart-centered problem solving

Give others plenty of space to change their minds and course as well. Many will be experiencing surprising shifts in areas of their lives. They may not be able to follow through on agreements - or want to.

Each of us will experience this year’s astrological energies uniquely.

Here’s where your Sun Sign may experience the challenge of blending practical concerns with inspired ideals. These areas might be tested to insure you have the resources and the genuine agreements to succeed. Check things out to insure you and others are seeing clearly. Be flexible.

Aries: Finances/Values and Friendships/Groups.
Taurus: YOU!! Your Body, Appearance and Self-Image and Career/Reputation
Gemini: Beliefs and Philosophy/Spiritual Ideals
Cancer: Friends/Associates and Sex, Money, Other People’s Crises
Leo: Career/ Authority and Partnerships/Relationships
Virgo: Travel, Education, and Legal Matters and Health, Work
Libra: Sex, Money, Transitions, and Love Affairs, Children
Scorpio: Partnerships, Relationships and Home/Family
Sagittarius: Work, Health and Communication/ Travel/ Siblings
Capricorn: Love Life!! Kids and Finances
Aquarius: YOU!! Your relationships and Home, Family matters
Pisces: Communication, Travel, Siblings and Beliefs/ Behind the Scenes activities

Love, Your Astrologer Phyllis Firak-Mitz

http://www.astrologerphyllis.com/


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Affirmations & 6 Tips for How to Use Them

We love affirmations! We have witnessed the profound changes they can make in people's lives when used in a consistent and purposeful way. As we mentioned in our blog back in March ’09, we encourage the women in our Get Up Girl Women's Coaching Groups to use affirmations. They are a powerful tool for transforming limiting beliefs and negative thinking into more supportive ways of believing and thinking.

From Lousie Hay and her book, ‘Power Thoughts, 365 Daily Affirmations’, we share ten affirmations that you can use or edit to fit your needs. In addition to sharing Louise's affirmations with you, also below are 6 fun and creative tips for how you can use them.


Affirmations:

I rejoice in others successes knowing there is plenty for all of us.

I release any limitations based on old, negative thoughts. I joyfully look forward to the future.

Every experience in life is an opportunity for growth.

I am my best friend. I love what I see in me.

I am always the perfect age for where I am in my life.

I open my home and welcome guests with love. They are like a loving family to me.

I only speak positively about those in my world.

I express love and gratitude for all I have learned and all I have accomplished.

I look forward with joyous anticipation to each new day of my life.

All is well in my world!


6 tips for how you can use your affirmations:

1. Pick one or more affirmations and write them out in your journal. (You can repeat writing the same affirmations a number of times, we suggest 3 or more times.)

2. Write them on index cards, – one affirmation on each card. Read them while you drink your morning coffee; carry them with you and read throughout the day; or when you wake up and/or before going to bed at night.

3. Say them as you exercise or move your body. Walking, running, dancing, etc.

4. Read them aloud as you look at yourself in the mirror. (this is powerful)

5. Turn them into a song, and sing your affirmations in the shower.

6. Write them on post-it notes and put them up around your home and office.


Let us know what works for you, or if you have some creative ways you like to use affirmations. We always love learning new ways to apply these tools. Thanks! info@getupgirl.org.

photo by: Margalit Ward
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The Film Lounge

Get Up Girl graduate Danielle Stallings has announced a new film Meetup Group for filmmakers and film aficionados called The Film Lounge. Based in Ventura County, just outside of the studio zone, The Film Lounge is a place for film lovers to rekindle their love affair with film and brush up on vital skills outside of the pressure cooker of the L.A. industry scene. Meetings and screenings will be held on weekends (and some evenings) at Essential Wine Co., a new wine bar in Camarillo, just 30 minutes from the west valley and 45 minutes from the west side. (Also, a stone's throw from the premium outlet mall.)

The Film Lounge will be that relaxed film enclave we all wish existed to support filmmakers reach their potential through inspiration and networking. The first meeting will be held on June 28th to screen "Visions of Light" a gorgeous documentary about cinematography, likened to "going through a film museum". In July, Danielle will be conducting a film business seminar to demystify important employment and rights documents artists will likely encounter when hired.

To join the group and learn about upcoming meetings, go to Meetup.com and search for "The Film Lounge". Membership and meetings are FREE.

http://www.meetup.com/Filmmakers-Lounge/

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3 Simple Ways to Eat Healthier on a Budget

With the current economic downturn, eating healthy may feel less important than saving money. Contrary to common belief, eating healthy can actually cost less then a Big Mac, fries, and soda. We have discovered three simple shifts we can make that can keep us healthy, happy and energized.

1. Shift Where You Shop

Choose organic brands from mainstream stores. One of the easiest shifts we can make is where we shop. While natural food stores and Co-Ops offer a wide array of organic options, many traditional supermarkets are jumping on the organic trend with much lower prices. It is very important to check labels to ensure that your items are certified organic. Stores like Vons, Pavilions, Safeway, and Trader Joes are now offering organic lines at 1/2 the price of the Whole Foods 365 Brand. We have been using the O Organics brand for items including pasta sauce, olive oil, milk, yogurt, and baby food. Albertson's and Ralph's carries a similar organic line called Wild Harvest that offers a full line of organic products ranging from eggs, cereal, to soy milk.

Say yes to the Farmer's Market. One of our favorite places to find amazing food is the local Farmer's Market. They provide some of the freshest produce, meat, and dairy products available. You buy directly from the farmer, so prices tend to be drastically lower than you can find in a standard grocery store. The experience of interacting with local farmers, and artisans is defiantly more enjoyable than waiting in the check out line.

Shop at international markets. Another place to find great quality food at reasonable prices is your local international markets including Korean, Jewish, Indian, Hispanic, African, and Japanese grocery stores. While you can find many items with more affordable price tags be mindful to stick to the market's specialty, as other items can be more expensive such as buying pasta sauce in a Korean Market.

2. Plan Ahead

Create a menu plan. Take time at the beginning of the week to plan your meals. This takes a bit of prep time, but the experience can actually be fun for the entire family. Have your children help pick out healthy items and menu options. Make a list and pick up the various items at the stores with the best selection and prices. When you have a stocked kitchen filled with healthy foods and recipes, it becomes easier to cook than to run out for fast food.

Click here to read entire article


by Shannon Bindler & Margalit Ward
at the Huffington Post

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10 Reasons It’s Awesome You’re Terrified

In our recent Get Up Girl Advanced Group we encouraged everyone to take actions that stretch them beyond their comfort zones. In addition to assisting them in accomplishing their goals, another common by-product of taking risks is fear. Here is a terrific article by new blog contributor and freelance writer, Lori Deschene that takes a positive look at fear and it’s blessings.

10 Reasons It’s Awesome You’re Terrified

I am terrified of heights—kind of. Having entered the world one year after a girly-girl sister, I decided at a young age to be the tough one. To play with dinosaurs, fight my tears when I scraped my knee, and climb tall trees with the best of the neighborhood boys. The only problem was I was too scared to climb down. Thankfully, those neighborhood boys were accommodating (as they were 10 years later when I decided being girly was more fun—but that’s beside the point). With this in mind, perhaps you can appreciate how difficult it was for me to jump out of a plane from 10,000 feet.

But I did it. I forgot about everything I thought could go wrong, focused on the benefits of going through with it, took it one step at a time, and jumped. In hindsight, I now realize fear is absolutely awesome. Here’s why:

10. It sometimes shields you from harm. Fear is an intuitive survival mechanism and there are many times when you really should heed its message. If you walk into your building and sense there’s someone in the shadows, your fear and the action it inspires just may save your life. (Incidentally, I felt this same survival instinct when I learned about skydiving—but research convinced me the risk was minimal).

9. Fear pushes you to face your internal issues. Let’s say you’re scared of pursuing your dream job. You can either give in to that fear, or question where it comes from so you can conquer it. If you’re scared of failing, ask yourself why. Did your upbringing instill in you that failure is unacceptable? If you challenge your issues and subconscious beliefs now it will be much easier to reach goals you set in the future.

8. You have a chance to be brave. I have never in my life felt as proud of myself as I did when I jumped out of that plane. Whatever you’re afraid of, appreciate it. It invites you to be bold and daring, which may inspire other people to do the same. Now that’s a rush!

7. The experience teaches you to act in spite of your feelings. We all have feelings; it’s part of being human. Some people hide behind them, allowing fear, anger, and pride to dominate their lives. Some repress them and experience a lot of pain as a result. Others identify them and act anyways. That’s mindfulness: acknowledging you feel scared, deciding it’s not a permanent state, and then making a choice in spite of it.

6. You can prove to yourself what you’re made of. We all have fears—every last one of us. Some people worry so much about the worst case scenario that they avoid risk at all cost, feeling trapped and unhappy. Others push through it, and either reach their dreams or hold the satisfaction of knowing they gave it their best shot. You decide: what are you made of?

5. It gives you the chance to identify your mental chatter as just that—chatter. Our internal monologues rarely stop going; and they often talk us out of doing things we want to do. When that little voice goes into overdrive, you have two choices: let it drive you insane, or find a way to silence it. Once you learn to tune out your inner evaluator—the voice that analyzes life as it happens—it will be far easier to be present and peaceful.

4. Your friends have the chance to help you be your best. I told 8,800 people on Twitter I planned to go skydiving—and then three hours beforehand told them I was considering backing out. I received countless @replies from people telling me they’d done it before and that I’d love the experience. If not for all the external support, I might not have gone through with it. (Thank you so much Twitter friends!)

3. You can practice skills that will help you later in life. The best way to handle fear is also a great way to handle challenges: take it step by step. The morning before I jumped, I decided all I had to do was get in the car at 12:15. After that, all I had to do was get in the harness. And then board the plane and so on. Whether you’re starting a new business or trying to lose 50 pounds, this approach makes a lot of sense: take it one step at a time.

2. It helps you overcome catastrophic thinking. Most of the time when you shun something you’re scared of it’s because of “what if” thinking. I spent at least an hour wondering: What if my parachute doesn’t open? What if I fall out of my harness? What if I land in the highway and die a tragic death as road-kill? Then I remembered this: most of the things we worry about never happen. So why exhaust my energy worrying?

1. Overcoming fear teaches you to accept uncertainty. Fear and worry are attempts to control the future—to avoid situations and feelings you’ve decided are undesirable. But really, does it ever work? Does clinging to fear guarantee your future will unfold exactly as you want it? No! Once you release the fear about the future, you’re free to focus on the present—which, by the way, is when life happens.

Whatever it is you’re scared of, you can overcome it and become stronger in the process. You just have to stay focused on the benefits of feeling the fear and pushing through it. “

Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.” -H. Jackson Browne

You heard my story, now tell me yours! What fears are on your radar right now—and how are you pushing through them?

Lori Deschene lives in San Mateo, CA where she works as a freelance writer. Visit seeinggood.com, her blog about realistic positive thinking, and follow her on Twitter @BeMeaningful.

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Feel Your Boobies Campaign

Ladies, are you feeling your boobies?

We all the know the importance of having an annual breast exam from our doctor, but research shows that it is also important to be examining ourselves on a regular basis for the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

We recently discovered the campaign, Feel Your Boobies®, founded by breast cancer survivor Leigh Hurst. Her story is an example of a young woman who was feeling her boobies on a regular basis, and because of that found a lump long before her doctors. What started out as a fun and creative way to remind her friends about something that had saved her life, evolved into a non-profit Foundation to spread this important message. Read more about Leigh’s story and the history behind the campaign.


Leigh's Story

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 7, 2004. I was 33, I ran marathons, ate well, and thankfully I felt my boobies! I wouldn’t necessarily say I did “self-breast exams” as they are traditionally defined, but I did feel my boobies during the course of my daily routine and because I did, I knew when something was different.

For the two years leading up to this diagnosis, I had noticed the small lump in my left breast. It didn’t hurt or change very much, but I noticed it. I was living in New York City at the time and when I would go to the doctors for normal checkups, I would wait for them to do their clinical exam of my breast to see if they would notice the lump on their own. They didn’t. It wasn’t until I held their hand and placed it on the lump that they noticed what I had felt on my own for some time. For whatever reason, none of them felt it was something to be concerned with so I trusted their judgment and figured it was fine.

At some point during this two year period of time, I tired of the city lifestyle I had led for the previous 10 years and made a major decision to move back to Middletown, PA -- the small town where I grew up just outside of Harrisburg, PA. I moved home a successful professional woman, but was single and 33, and with my childhood friends mostly being married I feared I had embarked on life as a spinster. Just six months after buying a home and moving to PA, it was time for my annual exam. It was at this exam where the nurse practitioner (forever my angel) suggested I go get a mammogram.

Read more…


Find out more about the Feel Your Boobies Campaign® at feelyourboobies.com

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