Have you considered forgiving your enemies simply so you can lighten your own load? While anger and resentment can weigh us down, acceptance, love and forgiveness are light as feathers, or even helium balloons, as we let them carry us.

Who have you forgiven? Did it lighten your load? Please share your stories by commenting here.

I know this is a bit off topic, but I felt inspired to write….

With all the gloom and doom about the economy these days, is there any hope for our financial futures? Of course you know I will answer this question with a resounding YES!, and here’s why.

So much of the economy is based on people’s feelings about the economy.  If people are worried, they buy less, do less, start less businesses, etc.  This means less demand for goods and services, which brings the economy down.  And how do we form our feelings or beliefs about the economy? In large part from the media, and to a lesser degree from our personal experience.

But what if you are directly affected?  Then perhaps its a great time to ask that magic question: What do I want instead?

Perhaps now is the time to think about enjoying more free time to spend with friends and family, or to think about getting more education. Or maybe you were not so happy in your job and this is a call for a transition.  Who knows? What I do know is that we are a heck of a lot more likely to find a silver lining if we look for one.

So even if your abundance isn’t financial in the moment, how about creating your own microcosm of abundance by focusing on what you and your friends and family do have, and dreaming about the future you want to create?

Sacred Ground

We are standing on sacred ground.

Let our hearts take off their shoes
and come bare, trembling with awe,
into the Presence which burns too bright
and too close for ordinary vision.
Only a naked heart can see
that all around us, each clump of grass,
every leaf, twig, stone and flower,
is a blazing torch, incandescent with the one fire which has no name
except “I am”.
And only a naked heart can know it too, is a burning bush,
all of us caught in the one fire,
“we are” burning into “I am,”
brighter than a galaxy of suns.

Words cannot contain the moment;
but let’s take with us the feeling of awe and wonder.
In this sacred place we feel we may never wear shoes again.

Veronica Littleton

In episode 50 of Inside Out Weight Loss (www.personallifemedia.com/iowl), I share two versions of the magic question that can turn your experience around, and start you attracting what you want, instead of what you don’t want.  What’s this simple question?  Perhaps its obvious, but when we are in the depths of dessert despair, nothing is obvious, except perhaps the location of the chocolate sprinkles.

What is this under-used, under-appreciated question? 

What do I want?

Or the deluxe version:

“What do I want instead?” (of the misery I’m in right now)

Pretty simple, right?  And pretty amazing in it’s power to transform our experience.

Have you tried it out? If so, post a comment and let us know what you discovered!

I have long loved Marlena Spieler’s “Roving Feast” columns in the San Francisco Chronicle because of her obvious and absolute love of food.  She plays in it. She frolicks in it. She lives it and loves it, and, to the joy of her readers, she writes about it.  I just love hearing passionate people describe their passions. It seems to awaken something magical inside me. 

Secretly, I have wondered if Marlena struggles with her weight, simply because her photo/cartoons in the paper show her a little chubby.  I wondered what it would mean to her to slim down, given food is not only her life, but also her career.Well, I just got to find out. It seems she has lost about 150 lbs over the last couple of years or so, and she shares her story and slimming tips in a feature article in the paper.I mention this because hers is a terrific story of losing weight while absolutely enjoying food, perhaps, probably, more than now than when she was eating too much of it.  Where she may have stuffed, she now savers.  Where she may have rushed, she now relaxes and enjoys.

Marlena also shares the ups and downs of her journey, and in the process tells a great story of self-correcting. If she can self-correct and loose weight while she is wined and dined all over the world, then you can too!Here’s the link:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/01/FDQ212O9QU.DTL.

Enjoy!Renee

A large scale ad campaign has recently been launched touting the virtues of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). For those who have listened to Inside Out Weight Loss Episode 6 “Foods that Will Make Your Journey Easier”, you know my opinion on HFCS, which, strangely enough, has not changed since the ads came out.

HFCS has come under a lot of fire of late because of a great deal of research, much of it out of UC Davis, showing an almost 1:1 correlation between the rise in consumption of HFCS in the US and the rise in obesity.   It seems that HFCS somehow disrupts the body’s ability to tell that it’s full, making you want to eat more of it.  Consumers caught wind of this, are avoiding products that contain it.

I understand why the industry is fighting back. They have this dream ingredient. It’s super cheap, super sweet, lasts a very long time on the shelf, and makes people crave more of it, so they buy more. What’s not to like?

In defense of the manufacturers, I did see one study that cast doubt over the fattening effects of HFCS.  (I am curious to know who funded the research, however).  So the research is certainly not yet conclusive (is it ever?).  Maybe HFCS doesn’t make us want to eat more of it. Maybe our bodies are just fine with this highly processed sweetener.  Then again, maybe they are not.

Fructose in it’s natural form comes in a delightful package of nutrients, fiber and lots of water - fruit. Our bodies know exactly what to do with fruit.  The fiber and water make us full, and the nutrients are deeply satisfying and nourishing.  After all, we evolved over thousands of years eating our fructose this way.  Take the fructoe out of this extraordinary package and who knows how the body will react.

My advice? Check in with your body.  Do you find you crave that yogurt that’s sweetened with HFCS? One client of mine switched from yogurt with HFCS to a more natural greek yogurt, and found her cravings over all went way down.    I used to be ridiculously addicted to a frozen yogurt that was fructose sweetened (not even HFCS), and found I would be hungrier after eating it than before I strated! I had to chase it with a bowl of cereal!

When you see those cleverly designed ads for HFCS, look behind the ads to the motives of the manufacturers. Then let your body be the judge.

In Episode 40 “Supermodels and Self Acceptance” I led you through a fast and fun guided journey to unconidtional self-acceptance. As I mentioned on the show, this is a new journey and I would love to get your feedback. What did you notice? Did you like it?

Let me and the other listeners know by posting a comment!

I’d love to hear what you have been tapping on. Did you have hunger phobia? Or perhaps you tapped on something else. Let me know by posting your comment, and if you like, share the wording you used for your tapping.

I can’t wait to see what you have to say!

I’ve just completed a series of shows on EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique. I’d love to hear what you think of it!

If you would like to learn more about it, check out Gary Criag’s huge site, that is chocker-block with case studies www.emofree.com. Gary also sells low-cost training DVDs and gives away the manual for free.

Note that my version is simplified. I’ve adapted it from my friend and gifted healer Gina Orlando (www.ginaorlando.com).

Enjoy!

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

EFT can be used to clear any negative emotional states, while replacing them with positive states. It can be used to treat acute states such as anger, anxiety or frustration when they occur, and also can be used as a daily practice to clear whatever negative emotional states are present in the day.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Think of what is upsetting you. Bring up the full emotion in all of it’s intensity. Now, rate the strength of the emotion on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the highest. You may want to make a note of the issue and the intensity, in case you forget once it’s gone.
2. Create a Set Up Phrase in the following format. “Even though [negative emotion], I still deeply and completely love and accept myself. You will use the set up phrase at the beginning of each round. Here are some examples:
a. Even though I’m dying to eat that chocolate, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself
b. Even though I feel huge anxiety around making my presentation, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself.
c. Even though I’m so angry at my husband I could strangle him, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself.
d. Even though I feel like my situation is hopeless, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself.
e. Even though I have this headache, I still deeply and completely love and accept myself.
Round 1 –

3. Repeat the Set Up Phrase three times, while tapping with your right hand on the karate chop point of your left hand. This is the fleshy part on the side of your hand, below the pinky, that you would hit with if you were to do a karate chop.
4. Once you have concluded the set up, you will tap on a series of points while saying the negative part of the phrase, e.g. “I’m dying to eat chocolate”. This will be your first round.
5. Start the round by tapping on the crown of your head with one hand. Say your negative phrase, e.g. “I’m dying to eat chocolate”.
6. Then, with three fingers of each hand, tap just above your inner eyebrows, saying your negative phrase.
7. Tap with the same fingers of both hands on the point just at the end of your eyebrows, beside your eyes, saying your negative phrase.
8. Tap with the same fingers of both hands on the bony ridge just below your eyes, saying your negative phrase.
9. Tap with three fingers of one hand on the space between your nose and your upper lip, saying your negative phrase.
10. Tap with these fingers on the crease in your chin, saying your negative phrase.
11. Tap with both hands just below your clavicle bones (the bones that run horizontally on your chest, just below your neck), saying your negative phrase.
12. Raise one of your arms and tap about four inches below your armpit, on the side of your torso, saying your negative phrase.
13. Tap under the other armpit (you can do both under arm areas at the same time if this is comfortable for you, saying your negative phrase.
14. Tap your inner wrists together, at your pulse points, saying your negative phrase.
15. Tap on the karate chop point of your right hand, this time saying your negative phrase.
16. Tap on the back of your left palm, between the bone that leads to your pinky and the bone that leads to your ring finger, saying your negative phrase.
17. Tap on the same spot on your right hand, saying your positive phrase “but I still deeply and completely love and accept myself”.
18. Take a deep breath, and check in, noticing the positive shifts and changes.

You have just completed round one. EFT is best done in sets of two or more rounds.

Round 2

For the second round, complete the setup phrase three times, as above. Then, alternate between the negative phrase and the positive phrase as you move through the points. In other words, at the top of your head say “Even though I’m dying to eat that chocolate”, at your inner eyebrow points, say “I still deeply and completely love and accept myself”.

Be sure to bring the full intensity of the negative emotion to the tapping. Stay present to any thoughts or feelings that arise as you progress through the points. For example, if you suddenly think about how angry you are at your boss, you can incorporate that thought: “even though I’m so angry at my boss for being a jerk…”.

Don’t worry if it takes you a few rounds to learn the technique. EFT is a very forgiving technique and will work even if you get are a little creative with it.
Your issue may resolve immediately with the original phrase, or may unfold as you progress, revealing and releasing the deeper issue as you go. Be open to what comes up for you.

You can do additional rounds when necessary to completely clear the issue and open your mind to a brighter perspective and new possibilities.

Learn more about EFT at www.emofree.com, Gary Craig’s website, or www.energypsych.org, the website of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology.