Benefits of High Levels of Confidence

Guest Contributor: Keri Gaddis of Yoga Fitness

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Castle-Rock-CO/Yoga-Fitness/306783177344?ref=ts

Benefits of High Levels of Confidence:

 (1) Positive Emotions, (2) better concentration, (3) setting more challenging goals and pushing to reach them, (4) increasing effort to reach goals. 

Think of people that you feel possess great confidence in themselves, what makes them stand out from the rest of the people that surround them? 

Most obvious would perhaps be their (1) positive emotions. They are naturally happy, easy and fun to be around. With high levels of confidence you send out positive energies  and are able to ward off the negative quickly because you don't possess the kind of energies that negativity feeds off of. Since much of your time is not spent on dwelling in unpleasantness, (2) Better concentration is cultivated. You can grow to be a more focused person on the aspects of life that will get you somewhere instead of those that would hold you back from what you really want.  A connection is then made between concentration and (3) Setting more challenging goals and pushing to reach them. You now possess the concentration to set specific goals and discover a variety of ways to acquire them in any way you can. Make the goals realistic, though. If you set goals that are not physically possible in the time line you set for yourself, then confidence might go astray due to frustration. (4) Increasing effort to reach goals ties all the previous beliefs together. It is a necessity to put forth effort in achieving that which you have set out to accomplish. Unfortunately, things don't just materialize on their own. All can be put into motion with the power of the mind yet effort is needed to aim in the correct direction you want events to proceed.

Since fitness is my line of work, I deeply have faith that achieving these benefits will assist you in meeting goals of weight lose or bettering your overall health. They are definitely something to aim for and keep in mind if a bit of frustration creeps into the mind when you don't see immediate results. Stick with it and accept other benefits that will arise before physical results like increased energy, a better mind set and high spirits due to the release of the "Happy" hormone in the brain that is released with exercise.

If you don't believe in yourself who will?

Composed by: Keri Gaddis- Personal Trainer/Yoga Instructor.

visit me on Facebook at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Castle-Rock-CO/Yoga-Fitness/306783177344?ref=nf

~ ~ I hope you enjoyed reading this article by Keri Gaddis.  Keri is not only an amazing and long time friend of mine, but she's also an amazing woman.  She has inspired me with her personal journey and following her passion on health to go out into the world and help others to achieve their optimal wellness.  Please stop by Keri's Facebook page and thank her for contributing this great information on confidence.  Also be sure to comment and give her love here.  For every comment left here and on her Facebook page, you'll receive a point towards your Olympic Commentator Medal.  ~ ~

Grab the Button and Link Back to CGM for 5 Olympic Points towards your metal.  

Click HERE for more details.

How Do You Define Beauty?

Artist: Whitney Calvert

 

Artist: Marie Bushbaum

 

Artist: Emily Warwick

 

Artist: Beryl Roda

Posters are contest winners from the NOW Foundations Love Your Body Campaign

http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/

As I float around from blog to blog reading various different resolutions I've noticed an all too familiar theme - weight loss.  Very rarely do I read of women desiring health, just that we're desiring some sort of perfection.  I've read some saying that they actually don't need to loose weight but they'd like to because it will make them look "tighter", "trimmer", "sexier". 

I too desire some weight loss but it's not because I want to reach some socially oppressive standard, rather I want to be healthier and happier so that the quality of my life is greatly improved.  Being healthier means I'll have more energy for my son and my husband.  It means I'll be physically able to participate in more activities.  A healthier me means I have a better chance at living longer, doing more.  Weight loss in my life represents the shedding of shackles that hold me back from doing things I'd like to do and it will give me the freedom to do more.

I worry though, as I have for some time, about the imbalance among women and our perception of beauty.  What are we projecting on other women, our mothers and daughters, sisters and friends?  What are we projecting onto ourselves as a standard for beauty?

There is a famous poem by Sam Levenson about beauty that I have long cherished (it's often mistaken as being a quote from Audrey Hepburn - that's how I first discovered it).  I think sometimes we forget that ascetics only hold so much water.  Eventually, if we don't take care of who we are on in the inside, if we aren't attentive to our inner health and beauty, we begin to rot from the inside.  Levenson's list of beauty characteristics are timeless and are themselves, beautiful.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. 

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives and the passion that she shows.

The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Proverbs.  I especially enjoy the telling of the Proverbs 31 woman.  God talks to us, ladies, about what it is we are to be focusing on, who it is that should receive such focus.  I challenge you to read Proverbs 31 today and see if you can identify the characteristics of a Proverbs 31 woman in modern advertising.  If we're not promoting real beauty, who is?

Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."(NIV)

What else does the Bible tell us about beauty that counteracts the world's ideas?


1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (NIV)

Taking care of our bodies, our temples, are important.  We are to strive for good health and take care of ourselves.  With all things, we must be moving with moderation.  Are you focusing on too much of world beauty and not enough of God beauty?  When was the last time you paid attention to improving your inner beauty?  Does the time spent on your exterior beauty regimen outweigh that which you spend on your spirit?  How is it with your soul these days?


Take a look at the names we have for makeup products:
- Coverup
- Foundation
- Corrector and Concealer
- Mascara
- Eye Shadow

What are we telling ourselves and each other when we say that beauty means a washable foundation, covering up, correcting and concealing who we are, putting on a Mask-ara and shadowing our eyes?  Sounds a little ridiculous when we look at it that way, doesn't it?

- Note that Levenson mentions in his poem the importance of a woman's eyes.  Why then are we 'shadowing' our eyes?

- In Matthew 6:22-23 says, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (NIV)  I ask again, why are we 'shadowing' the light Christ tells us here to be full of?

I wear makeup and I enjoy doing so.  But I wonder what's behind that.  Was I socialized to do that with makeup kits for little girls and media ads selling me the idea that true beauty is the essence of Cover Girl?  Why do I do the things I do and more importantly, does doing these things take my eyes and my focus off of God?

According to World Watch Magazine, we as a world, clearly have our eyes and our pocket books in the wrong places.

Amount of money needed each year (in addition to current expenditures) to provide reproductive health care for all women in developing countries.

$12 billion

Amount of money spent annually on perfumes in Europe and the United States

$12 billion

Amount of money needed each year (in addition to current expenditures) to provide water and sanitation for all people in developing nations

$9 billion

Amount of money spent annually on cosmetics in the United States

$8 billion

 Shocking?  I thought so when I first read the statistics.  Imagine what we could do with that money, the lives we could touch, the changes and difference we could make, if we chose the beauty of life over the beauty of appearance.  I'm realistic enough to know that cosmetics isn't going anywhere, and frankly, I'd be a little saddened if they did.  However, maybe this is a call to all of us to rethink what we do and why we do it.  Maybe this is an opportunity for us to grow as women, to identify what it is that really makes us beautiful and to advocate for appreciation of such beauty within the world.  Maybe we can be beacons of change and hope.

One of the most beautiful people in my life was my grandmother.  If I were to list out all the things that made her beautiful, you'd find very few ascetic qualities.  Grandma was beautiful inside and out, but what made her beautiful to me were things that never aged.  Her love, her compassion, her spirit, her faithfulness, her forgiveness...those things made her shine.

So...how do you define beauty?  When was the last time you worked out your inner beauty muscles?  Is your focus on God when you work towards beautification?


"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

'Rent-A-Womb'

As a woman who has and does face infertility, I've researched numerous "solutions" and tried several treatments.  That being said, I found the following article very interesting and I'm intrigued to hear your opinions.  What do you think...if funds were not an option, would you take advantage of this opportunity?  Or, would you choose to put your money towards adoption?  

 'Rent-A-Womb' Business Booming in India by Fox News

Couples desperate for children are turning to India, where relaxed laws on surrogacy means the business of babies is booming.
In India, a womb can be rented for about $3,000 and in vitro fertilization treatment is a fraction of what it costs in the west.
"My criteria is very strict," Dr. Anup Gupta told Sky News. "The surrogate must be healthy and she must already have a family with at least one or two children of her own, minimum. She must not be doing this primarily for financial reasons but because she wants to help another family."
Gupta says he gets about 15 patients from abroad every month looking for a surrogate.
Most of the time he uses eggs and sperm harvested from the couple and then implants the embryo into the surrogate mother.
In return, the couple pays all of her medical expenses in addition to other lump sums.
By the time a baby is born, the woman who has effectively ‘rented’ out her womb stands to make around $7,000.

For the full story, go to:  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580956,00.html

I Workout

Art by Paula Romani

  I went to Walgreens last night to pick up some of that JOY their selling (see previous post) and I also decided to hit the 'As Seen on TV' section to pick up a bum and thighs that would fit into a size 6 pant.  Merry Christmas to me...they were on sale.

  If only, right?  Yeah, I wish.  But most good things come with a lot of hard work.  Unfortunately for my bum and jean size, I do not work hard at working out.  I enjoy yoga and spending time outside as well as playing with my son and the occasional game of volleyball or soccer.  However, I loathe sweating.  I mean I just plain hate it.  Uck!  That being said, I know, as we all do whether we want to acknowledge it or not, that a part of being healthy is what we eat, the other part is what we do with our bodies.  I know I must "get physical, physical" in order to be healthy and that is up to me and me alone.  This is a difficult reality when a plethora of logistical excuses exist like: I don't have the time in my schedule, I hate going to the gym because it makes me feel totally insecure, I'm short on funds and can't afford a personal trainer, I tried working out with my kid around and he just kept trying to dance with me, I attempted to go for a walk/jog/run with my dog who kept tripping me, etc.  I have just had no clue how to make exercise a reality in my reality. 

  What did I do?  Well, I must first preface this by saying I'm sharing this story with you not as someone who is an expert or has it all figured out.  I figured I must do something and it had to be outside of the box of logistics mentioned above.  So, with a little money set aside, Hubs and I invested in a treadmill.  I know, I know, there are so many stories against equipment in your own house, but it's something I wanted to try that I hadn't yet and it helped address most of the excuses.  You can find great deals on treadmills for relatively affordable prices on Craigs List and your local fitness stores.  Don't go to the fitness equipment specialty stores though if you're looking for a bargain because I could mortgage my house for one of those things.

  Anyway, I wasn't sure how my relationship with Izzy (the name I gave my treadmill) was going to go.  However, much to my dismay, Izzy and I have come to enjoy one another.  I'm starting off slow and smart I think.  I'm starting with three workouts a week at an hour a piece and I warm up, etc., etc., etc.  With my iPod jammin', Izzy and I get to work on that jean size and I have to admit that I'm rather pleased and proud of myself.  When it comes to working out, I give up and give out quickly.  But I've really stuck to this.  I'm going on my third week now and I'm starting to feel better.  I haven't noticed any other changes yet, but I've been told to give it a solid 6 weeks.  So far, so good.  I've asked Santa for a Wii Fit for Christmas.  I think that would be a fun change up to throw in there.  We'll see.

  I'm not yet ready to run a marathon, but that is definitely something I want to do down the road.  In the meantime, Izzy and I will run our own marathon weight loss and health gain journey together and maybe someday I can be rockin' a healthier happier me.  Here's to hoping.

  How are you staying healthy during the holidays?  Any plans for 2010?

The Healthy Family

The following is from Entering the World of the Small Church, written by Anthony G. Pappas.

"Professor Maynard Hatch, formerly of Central Baptist Seminary, worked with churches in a field-placement setting to measure their "temperature" (degree of health) by using certain characteristics of a healthy family. These characteristics, fifteen in all, are described in Dolores Curran's book Traits of a Healthy Family."

The Healthy Family...
1. Communicates and Listens
2. Affirms and Supports One Another
3. Teaches Respect for Others
4. Develops a Sense of Trust
5. Has a Sense of Play and Humor
6. Exhibits a Sense of Shared Responsibility
7. Teaches a Sense of Right and Wrong
8. Has a Strong Sense of Family in which Rituals and Traditions Abound
9. Has a Balance of Interaction Among Members
10. Has a Shared Religious Core
11. Respects the Privacy of One Another
12. Values Service to Others
13. Fosters Family Table Time and Conversation
14. Shares Leisure Time
15. Admits to and Seeks Help with Problems

These characteristics are being used in reflection on churches and the Body of Christ in general. I find them to be very helpful when trying to identify the health of the church you are attending or visiting and considering joining.

Though the discussion which introduced these characteristics happened to be related to the rural church, I find these characteristics vital for today's family. These are characteristics that can be sustained regardless of geographical location or family dynamics...if one so chooses to put in the extra time it takes to invest in their family. Families all to often dwell on the negatives and the petty, rather than seeking God's will for their family and working through issues. No where above is it suggested that we sweep problems under the rug or stick our heads in the sand and hope they simply disappear with time. But rather, it encourages us to have an open and respectful dialogue with our families that does not present a hostile environment.

Anyway, I just thought these were great characteristics to pass a long to you and hope you find them good food for thought.



Scripture Verses on Family for Personal Prayer and Reflection

"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge." - Proverbs 14:26.

"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." - Proverbs 17:1.

"Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." - Matthew 12:25.

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." - Ephesians 5:21

A house divided will surely crumble. But a house built on a foundation of the Lord and that lives to serve Jesus Christ, will never fail.