Awake - by the Master Rumi

"The Breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don't go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill
Where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open

Don't go back to sleep."

- Rumi

getupgirl.org

WE ARE INSPIRED!

We are always struck by how we are just as much participants in the group process as the women who take our workshops and coaching groups. This week we will share some of what we’ve gained from our experience doing our last Jumpstart 2009, A New Year Vision Workshop.

This past weekend we were fortunate to spend a day with some truly amazing women. We held our workshop on a beautiful rainy Saturday in Venice. About 20 women gathered to begin looking at what they wanted to create for the New Year, and find or re-visit the tools to make it happen.

We watched with delight, how a group of women started out mostly as strangers, by the end were talking, laughing and sharing with each other like old friends. Not that we were surprised, we see it often in our weekly women’s groups. A kind of sisterhood bond develops and we all feel safely wrapped in each other’s supportive care. Sharing both the highs and lows of each individual’s unique journey. Yet, also clearly identifying with the stories of these women, and finding inspiration and comfort that we are not alone.

As women, we seem to know how to make meaningful connections. It comes to us pretty naturally and we are nourished by these relationships. In fact a study shows that women produce endorphins when sharing with their female friends. It’s actually a part of our genetic make-up to thrive and experience both physical and emotional fulfillment from group activities.

So ladies, let's start making it a priority to call our girlfriends for a weekly chat, or schedule a lunch, hike or museum trip with a few friends this month. It’s another way to honor and take really good care of ourselves.

For information on upcoming Get Up Girl groups, workshops & retreats visit:
http://getupgirl.org/events.htm

How to Create Mindful Eating Habits

Do you not allow yourself to eat certain foods? Do you find that fighting with yourself about the foods you allow yourself to eat drains your energy and robs the joy out of eating? Many of us have a list of foods we "shouldn't" eat. Being healthy is not only what you eat, but how you eat.

One of our favorite books on the art of eating is Eating Mindfully: how to end mindless eating & enjoy a balanced relationship with food by Susan Albers

Albers offers 3 tips on How to Create New Eating Habits

1. Make two lists, one of the foods you eat "mindfully" and the other of the foods you eat "mindlessly." Foods eaten "mindlessly" are those you avoid, restrict, define as "bad", those that produce strong emotions of guilt, and/or induce over- or out-of-control eating. Mindful foods may produce emotions, but they are mostly positive or neutral emotions. Mindful foods are eaten willingly, without reservation or fear. If you don't divide foods into these categories consciously, you may have an internal sense of your emotional reactions (carefree eating verses eating that results in guilt, stress, or fear). Getting in touch with the way you react to each of these categories of food is important. The first step to changing any behavior is to become more aware of it. Bring these categories into your conscious, deliberate thoughts.

2. Next, think about how to take food out of the two categories. Remove the "bad" label from a cookie by giving it a purpose. Is your intention to have a snack? If so, eat the cookie in mindful bites, or use it to satisfy a craving for sweets. Or, give yourself a prescription for a once-a-day dose of a cookie. Start with the foods you eat mindlessly. As you begging to be more comfortable, start to experiment by sampling foods you've completely cut out of your diet, or foods that you are intensely afraid of or are reluctant to eat. Conquer your fears.

3. Break out of your standard routine. Whether you go to the grocery store and buy the same items week after week, or zoom down the aisles looking for the Specials, do something different. Examine and buy an exotic fruit like a mango, papaya, or an Asian pear. Or try a loaf of gourmet whole wheat bread. Add a touch of spice and variety to your meals. Walk through the store mindfully examining each item. Be aware of the products you never noticed before. Touch and turn over packages, smell fruits, examine everything, and buy new food.

About the author: Dr. Susan Albers is a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Women's Health Center who specializes in relationship and weight issues. She is a College of Wooster graduate and obtained her masters and doctorate degree from the University of Denver. Susan completed her APA internship at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana and her post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University in California.
eatingmindfully.com

getupgirl.org

Spend Your Time Doing the Things You Want

What is it that you want out of life right now? A successful business? A romantic partner? An organized home? A vacation?

Professional Organizer, Alaia Williams, shares her 6 favorite tips for making time for the things you really want out of life.

1. Grab a piece of paper, a journal, or open up a new document on your computer. Ask yourself, "what's taking up my time?" Make a list. Here is an example of things you might include: work, time with your spouse or kids, time with other family, time with friends, volunteer commitments, spiritual development, errands, home improvement, etc.

2. Examine your list. Your list reflects who you are - but is that who you want to be?

What do you want for your life? Do you wish you could adopt a dog, yet you have a schedule that keeps you away from home 18 hours a day? Do you share with your friends how much you want to have a "special someone" in your life and yet you don't leave room for dating?

3. Take time to carefully plan out what you can scale back on or cut out entirely so that you can create room in your life for the things that you want. For example: if you really want to take a trip to Argentina you may need to put in more hours at work, curb any unnecessary spending, and apply for a passport.

4. Turn these things you want into tangibles? Ask yourself, what would one small step be this week to get me closer to my dream?

5. Figure out what you need to do to get what you want.
Turn the list of things you need to do into goals and priorities. Visit my blog for more tips on how to do this.

6. Create milestones and deadlines for your goals.
Tell people you trust about what you want to create accountability and support for yourself. Dream about it, but make sure you back those dreams up with actions. We're given 24 hours in a day. Leverage your time.

Alaia Williams is a Professional Organizer who loves helping people create spaces they can feel good about. You can find out more about Alaia at her website oneorganizedlife.com and get more organizing tips at the One Organized Life Blog .


Photo by Margalit Ward

New Year Vision Workshop - This Saturday!

Change is in the air! Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Join us for a New Year Vision Workshop this Saturday, January 24th. This inspirational day will encourage you to listen to your deepest desires for 2009 and create a realistic action plan to make your dreams become a reality this year.

Lead by Certified Life Coaches Shannon Bindler and Margalit Ward. The workshop includes our Get Up Girl exclusive workbook/planner.

Jumpstart 2009 - A New year Vision Workshop

When: Saturday, January 24, 2009
Time: 10am - 3pm
Where: Venice, CA
Cost: $145 or $120 each - SAVE $25 when you register with friend. Price Includes lunch.

“I am addicted to Get Up Girl. I have been able to achieve major career goals more easily, including writing for Elle magazine."
– Ayn Carrillo, Author

"I increased my customer base and contacts by 50%. Get Up Girl gave me the space and permission to take my career to the next level. Margalit and Shannon are skilled guides; insightful, witty and compassionate.”
– J. Scott Grant, PMP - Grant Consulting

getupgirl.org

Simple Gifts - as played at today's Inaguration

'Tis a gift to be simple,
'Tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
to bow and to bend, we will not be ashamed
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning, we come round right.

Author unknown

'What I Want for You — and Every Child in America'

President Elect, Barak Obama, wrote a letter to his daughters that was published in Parade Magazine. This heartfelt letter left me inspired, excited, and truly moved. Let us know if you can make it through this one without getting choked up...

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

Read entire letter

Photo taken from Parade Magazine

Mercury Retrograde: A Time of Opportunity

I have been feeling like anything electronic I touch is breaking, from my computer to light bulbs. Then I got a reminder, from Astrologer Phillis Firak-Mitz that Mercury is in retrograde. Just knowing that somehow helped alleviate some of the negative self-judgement I have around the things that are happening right now.  We hope Phillis' advice is of help to you in the upcoming weeks:

Be especially careful about what you say, what you sign and how you travel for the coming 3 weeks. That’s because MERCURY is RETROGRADE* through February 2nd.  It can cause some mishaps! 

Mercury Retrograde is famous for misunderstandings, changes of mind, and travel problems.  Reversals, delays and technical difficulties can also run rampant… so leave time for the unexpected snafus. 

If you can manage to put off signing important documents or making major decisions until February 2nd or after, doing so might make life easier. If you are traveling between now and Feb. 2nd, prepare a Plan B in case your trip gets tripped up. 

And for God sakes, be clear in your communication!  What you assume to be obvious and understood might not be.  

But don’t be held hostage to Mercury Retrograde. Life goes on and so should you.  If you feel something is ready to do, do it. Just prepare to tweak it a bit as it unfolds. 

Note: This Mercury Retrograde in particular offers very positive and clever energies. Unexpected offers can come, lucky social dynamics can arise. Even our problems could morph into fortunate opportunities. Many could have “ah ha!” moments wherein we see how to approach an important matter in an even better way. 

Every Mercury Retrograde actually buys extra time to review what we’ve done to make sure it works. It’s really about rethinking recent decisions and retracing recent steps to make sure all is as is should be. Use its good vibes to check in with yourself to make sure you are genuinely “on board” with things you’ve agreed to. Give yourself the freedom to say “no” to things you realize aren’t right for you anymore. 

Those born between January 11th -27th  July 13th -31st, April 11th-27th, and October 13th -31st might have the most Mercury Retrograde “occurances.”  

*HERE’S WHERE YOU MIGHT FEEL MERCURY RETROGRADE’s “RETHINK –IT” EFFECTS:

 ARIES: career, authority and friendships

TAURUS: foreign, education, legal matters, career 

GEMINI:  joint finances, loans, travel, foreign legal affairs

CANCER:  relationships, joint finances, intimacy issues

LEO work, health, relationships

VIRGO; love, kids, work, employees, health

LIBRA; home, family, love, kids 

SCORPIO: contacts, travel, home family matters

SAGITTARIUS: money, contracts, sibling and neighbor matters 

CAPRICORN: personal choices, appeal, money

AQUARIUS: behind the scenes operations, spiritual, intuitive matters, personal appeal. 

PISCES: friendships, associates, behind the scene operations, spirituality. 

Phyllis Firak-Mitz can be reached at 303.730.6680 

Top 10 Tips for Staying On Track With Your Goals

In the book, This Year I Will... author M.J. Ryan shares numerous tips for how to stick with New Years resolutions and goals. I love this book because her straight forward writing style is refreshing and fun to read, while also being very practical.

In her first chapter, The Adventure of Living Your Dreams, she lists the top ten pitfalls for keeping your New Years resolutions. Being the tireless optimist that I am I decided to reframe all ten of them into positive statements. Here they are as,

The Top 10 Tips For Staying On Track
With Your Goals:

1. Be clear about what you want to create. (write out what you really want for yourself)

2. Make a strong commitment to the goal. (be honest with yourself)

3. Move forward with regular consistent action. (small doable steps)

4. Be willling to go through the awkward phase. (the times when it feels uncomfortable or impossible)

5. Set in place a tracking and reminder system.

6. Let go of perfection and be patient.

7. Have outside support. (a buddy, coach, or support group)

8. Affirm a positive self-image and belief in yourself to achieve your goals.

9. Stay flexible; things change, so create a back-up plan or be willing to make adjustments.

10. Keep getting back on track when or if you go off track.

Don't feel like you have to have all of these tips in place at once in order to be successful. Even if you put just a couple of these tips into practice, you will be more apt to stick with your goals. No one ever said change was easy, but if you start with small doable steps (tip #3), you may be surprised by the results.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle
www.getupgirl.org

Eyes Closed and Heart Open

Crystal DAngora, a yoga and pilates instructor, has a message to share with her fellow Get Up Girl's on self-love. Thank you for your insightful contribution Crystal.

The only effective way to make a meaningful commitment to life and habit changes in the New Year is from the perspective of self-love, not self- deprivation and abuse.  I'm a Yoga and Pilates teacher/studio owner in Toluca Lake and, even with health and exercise as my career path, I find myself at times tripping down the post-Holiday guilt path.  

I have the good fortune each day, however, of learning from my wonderful students.  With every reminder I give to "breath deep and focus on [their] incredible improvements," I get to remind myself as well.   The time we waste beating ourselves up for slipping around the Holidays makes us feel powerless and puts attention on what we don't want.  Alternately, when we listen to our body's need for rest and exercise from a place of appreciation for where we are today, we feel and look better and have more energy.  No list of promises or guilt required, just an extra moment with eyes closed and heart open to tune-in.  Happy New Year!

 -Crystal DAngora  Crystal Yoga and Pilates

 

Do you have something to share with the Get Up Girl community?  This blog is a place for all Get Up Girls to express their creativity, thoughts, wisdom, and tips.  Please email us with blog postings at:  info@getupgirl.org

Must - Haves for the Pantry

What are the best items to keep stocked in you pantry for easy cooking this year? The NY Times provides a practical IN and OUT list for your kitchen, that we found very helpful in clearing our pantries and getting ready to not only cook more this year, but cook quickly.

Below is an excerpt from the article: Fresh Start for a New Year? Let's Begin in the Kitchen

Here, then, is my little list of items you might spurn, along with some essential pantry and long-keeping refrigerator items you might consider. Note that I’m not including the ultra-obvious, things that are more or less ubiquitous in the contemporary American pantry, like potatoes, eggs and honey.

OUT Packaged bread crumbs or croutons.

IN Take crumbs, cubes or slices of bread, and either toast evenly in a low oven until dry and lightly browned, tossing occasionally; or cook in olive oil until brown and crisp, stirring frequently. The first keep a long time, and are multipurpose; the second are best used quickly, and are incomparably delicious.

OUT Bouillon cubes or powder, or canned stock.

IN Simmer a carrot, a celery stalk and half an onion in a couple of cups of water for 10 minutes and you’re better off; if you have any chicken scraps, even a half-hour of cooking with those same vegetables will give you something 10 times better than any canned stock.

OUT Aerosol oil. At about $12 a pint, twice as expensive as halfway decent extra virgin olive oil, which spray oil most decidedly is not; and it contains additives.

IN Get some good olive oil and a hand-pumped sprayer or even simpler, a brush. Simplest: your fingers.

Read entire article

All Is Well In My World

This is a beautiful affirmation from Louis Hay's Book You Can Heal Your Life. Please read and reread as necessary:

In the infinity of life where I am, all is perfect, whole and complete, I no longer choose to believe in old limitations and lack. I now choose to begin to see myself as the Universe sees me - perfect, whole, and complete. The truth of my Being is that I was created perfect, whole and complete. I will always be perfect, whole, and complete. I choose to live my life from this understanding. I am in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. All is well in my world.

Share Get Up Girl With A Friend

Do you have a friend who could benefit from Get Up Girl?

Invite them to join us for a Free Intro Event for our upcoming Women's Coaching Groups & Workshops. The event will be hosted by lovely lady and Get Up Girl grad, Ayn Carillo, at her warm and welcoming home.

Get inspired, have fun, and connect with some amazing women, and find out what Get Up Girl is all about!

Get Up Girl Free Intro Event
When: Saturday, January 17th, 2:30 – 4:00 PM
Where: LA (Fairfax & Olympic area)
RSVP: info@getupgirl.org
Light refreshments will be served

Wishing you a great day!
Margalit Ward & Shannon Bindler
http://www.getupgirl.org/

"Get Up Girl is a gift! Since the start of the workshop I have been able to achieve major career goals more easily, including writing for Elle Magazine and optioning my book for television, while balancing my family life and other work with less stress, self-criticism, and self-doubt.The money I spent on the workshop has more than come back to me by increasing my productivity." – Ayn Carrillo, Author & Owner of Cool Baby coolbabyplace.com

The Truth About 10 Trendy New Year's Diets

Have you eaten a few too many holiday treats in December? Before you try a new fad diet to loose weight, read this informational article from ABC.

ABC takes a look at the best and the worst diet plans from the Flat Belly Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, to the Full-Fat Diet. The article breaks down what these diets are, gives advice from medical experts, and evaluates how safe each plan is for your body. Find out what that trendy diet really is before jumping on a fad that may do more damage than good.

Read entire article

Celebrate 2008

One way I enjoy welcoming the New Year, is by celebrating the last one. It's a great opportunity to take a look back and appreciate ourselves and our accomplishments.

I invite you to think about the things you're grateful for from the past year, and take a few minutes to celebrate them with this fun and fulfilling exercise.

Celebrate 2008:
1. Grab some paper or journal, and a pen.

2. Ask yourself, ‘What are all the things I appreciate or feel grateful for from 2008’?

3. Write whatever is true for you (no need to edit –this is for you), from the little things to the big things. It can be anything, including accomplishments, people in your life, to things you have learned and developed.

Example:
1. Completing our first draft of our coaching book, Your Time is Now
2. A fun family trip to the mountains this summer
3. Starting this blog
4. Keeping on track with a consistent exercise routine

I find when I do this exercise, I’m always surprised by how many things I have forgotten or taken for granted. I walk away feeling energized and fulfilled, and it sets the stage for clearly thinking about what I want to create for the new year ahead.