Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Learning What’s Urgent vs. What’s Important

5 May, 2012 by Leave a Comment



This morning I heard a poem on WLFJ that one of the morning hosts wrote, and once again found my self in tears driving down the road. 
The older I get, the sappier I get. 
But anyway, it really goes well to illustrate my {tip to a happier you} today: 
The Letting Go Test
 By Leslie Nease
Nine months of growth inside of my womb
And in what seemed like an instant, she was there in the room
My heart was just bursting – I could barely compose
As I looked her over intently and counted fingers and toes
Eleven days later, I remember so well
Was my first “letting go test” – her umbilical cord fell
The pain in my heart, I could not ignore
As I realized this test was the first of many more
I nursed her eight months, and then it was time to move on
So I gave her some cereal – yet another era gone
When she was five, it was time to let go again
As I walked her to the school bus, she wore a huge grin
“Oh, God! Please protect her! I cannot be there.
But I trust you are with her and you’ll keep her in your care!”
And I was grinning, also, though my heart broke in two
As I watched my little girl learn to tie her own shoe
Little by little my girl needed me less
As she picked out her clothes and got herself dressed
A few months later, she lost her first tooth
(I cried like a baby, if you want to know the truth!)
This “letting go test” was a challenge indeed
When she took the storybook from me and started to read
I blinked and in an instant I realized much time had passed
As she went off to middle school – she was growing so fast!
The “letting go test” intensified, I remember with dread
When I drove her to the DMV, and she drove me home instead!
Her face lit up with excitement as we handed her the keys
And she drove off alone as I dropped to my knees
“Oh, God! Please protect her! I cannot be there.
But I trust you are with her and you’ll keep her in your care!”
My prayers were more often and more intense, I must confess
As she was gone more often now, and I saw her much less
My girl was growing up and I was completely shook
As she picked her favorite photos for her Senior Yearbook
And just a few months later, my girl turned eighteen
A young woman she was becoming now – what a sight to be seen!
“God, where did the time go?” I began to pray
As our family dressed up for Graduation Day.
She walked across the stage with her head held high
And as she took her diploma, I began to cry
But these tears were so different, more like tears of delight
My girl was a woman now and she was going to be all right
All the “letting go tests” that I’d had over the years
Helped me let go, trust God and release all my fears
The “tests” were sent by Him to prepare my mom-heart
For the ultimate test – when we’d begin to live apart
The day quickly approached and we loaded up the car
We drove her to college – it just seemed so far
We unloaded her things and we hugged her goodbye
And I tried not to do it but I couldn’t help but cry
This “letting go test” was the hardest test yet
The drive home was long – one I’ll never forget
But the sadness I feel is not the same as before
I feel such joy for her – there’s so much in store!
“Oh, God! Please protect her! I cannot be there.
But I trust you are with her and you’ll keep her in your care!”
 Are you crying with me yet? With an {eight-year-old-going-on-sixteen-year-old} daughter, and a {thirteen-year-old-girl-crazy} son, and an {eighteen-year-old-soon-to-be-graduating} daughter, this poem really hit home, as it would with many moms. 
When our children are graduating, getting married and having kids of their own, what will we look back and remember?
  • Our little girl asking us to sit down and read a book, but we were too busy checking emails? 
  • Our teenager wanting us to meet her for lunch, but we have too many errands to run? 
  • Our kids begging to go to the pool, but we say it’s just too hot outside…so we stay home and mow the lawn instead?  
 What will they look back and remember? 
  • How the cabinets and floors sparkled every Saturday night in preparation for a new week? 
  • How much fun dad always had playing golf every Saturday?
  • How mom sat at the computer every waking hour of the day? (Stepping on my own toes bigtime)
  • How dad’s coworkers respected him because he was at the office by 7:00 am and didn’t leave work until after 7:00 pm? 
  • How there was always one more thing that had to be done before they could go out and play? 

There is a huge difference between what is urgent and what is important. In our fast-paced days, the line between the two gets easily blurred. 
My hubby and I can open up our emails at any given moment and have a thousand or more. The urge to clean out that inbox is intense, but how many of those emails are really important?
I have to stop and give God some praise for blessing me with such an awesome husband. I’m sure if he reads this post he will be difficult to live with for a few days, but nevertheless…he loves to play golf, yet he rarely does. To be good at golf, he says you have to play often, which usually means Saturdays. He decided when our kids were little that having a good golf game was not what he wanted to look back on when he was old. He wanted to look back on Saturdays spent as a family. Hiking, movies, swimming…whatever we did, we did it together. And we still do. For David, family comes absolutely first. Not to say that we haven’t had tough times. We’ve had our share of marital issues, especially when I was battling addiction and depression. But by the grace of God, David persevered. And God delivered me. Whew! I sure am glad those years are over! 
Back on topic…urgent vs. important. 
  • The grass is up to my knees, but my kids want us to bake cookies and watch a movie. The grass can wait. 
  • I’m really not hungry and need to go to Wal-Mart before Marlee gets out of school, but Miranda and her boyfriend want me to meet them for lunch at La Fogata. Am I going to remember going to Wal-Mart (again) or having lunch with my soon-to-be-in-college daughter? So what if they only want me there so I will pay? 
  • I have to be up early to work Friday morning, but the premier of the Hunger Games movie is at midnight Thursday night and Trevor really wants to go. 
I was really sleepy on Friday.
But it was important.
We made a memory. 
So that’s my {tip to a happier you} for today. Make memories. The good kind. The emails, the grass, and the dog hair on the floor will all still be there. Even when you do accomplish those tasks, I promise they will all return again.
The opportunity to make memories may not.

From my heart,

Celeste

 

Filed Under: Living with Purpose, Making Changes, Parenting Tips, Simplify Your Life, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Plane Crashes, Drug Addiction, and Tomorrow

3 May, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Sitting here in tears. I just finished reading Heaven is Here, a memoir by Stephanie Nielson, author of the blog, NieNie Dialogues.
In my last post, I told you I’d share a funny story about our flight to Florida last week—the one where I overcame my eighteen-year-old fear of getting on an airplane with my hubby while leaving our kids at home. 
Since I am attempting to write a book and actually get it published, I’m doing a great deal of reading memoirs. While at Wal-Mart doing some last minute shopping for my trip, I noticed a new book on the shelf: 



I made the cover of the book really big for you to see…it is a memoir of inspiration and hope. Not unlike the message I am conveying in my book. So I bought it. 

I was feeling pretty good about our trip. We gave the kids a loving, “so long” as we dropped them off at school, and off to the airport we went. We boarded the plane; I said my trusty trust prayer: 

“God, I’m putting my trust in you today. 
No matter what happens, good or bad, I know you have it under control,
 and it’s all part of your plan to create an eternity beyond my wildest dreams.”

…And off we went. 
There was quite a bit of turbulence, so I pulled out my new book to keep my mind occupied. There really should have been a little more information on the cover of this book, or maybe I should have turned it over to read the back. Here’s how the book starts: 

 

 

A voice whispered, “Roll.”          

I fell to the ground and crushed the brilliant flames that licked at my clothes, my skin, my hair. The mangled wreck of our airplane blazed nearby. 

Really God? Of all the books I had to bring with me to read it had to be a memoir about a horrific plane crash? And she had gotten on a plane with her husband and left her four kids at home. Literally, my biggest fear. 
But, as all great writers do, Stephanie Nielson had me hooked with the first sentence. So I kept reading. I couldn’t put it down until I knew that she would be okay. I realize since it’s a memoir, and she actually wrote it, that she is alive and well today, but I had to hear it from her. Life has been crazy since we returned from our trip, so I just got a chance to read the Epilogue, and I think she has convinced me to take my book in a different direction. 
My story, a seemingly perfect life as a wife, mother, and pharmacist turned up side down by grand-mal seizures and depression, my desperate search to cure myself, and ultimate realization that God is the ultimate healer, is a book in itself.

And it was originally what I’d planned to write.

As you know, prescription drug addiction plowed uninvited into my life and turned a snowstorm into an avalanche. God had to really work on me a while on the whole “transparency” thing for me to be able to make addiction part of my story. Some of my closest friends didn’t know I was dealing with addiction until recently. And I don’t know if I’ll ever work as a pharmacist again. What pharmacy would hire me?

But God didn’t tell me to worry about my future. He told me to be transparent right now. 
In writing about addiction, I thought my job was to draw people in with my story and finish the book with the miracle God gave me. I hoped to appeal to a secular audience, so I have not written much about God’s part in my life before he healed me in 2010. But God has always been a huge part of my life, even though I didn’t realize it. He has always pursued me; I just had not always pursued Him back. My life was perfect. 

It’s hard to realize that you need God when everything is hunky-dory. 
In Heaven is Here, Stephanie tells of her life before her accident, during her immediate recovery in the hospital, and life after she returned home. God was a part of Stephanie’s whole story, and through the heart changes He walked through with her, her relationship with Him was deepened to a whole new level. 
So in my book—and my blog—I hope to share on a more personal level. It’s easy to share the lessons I learned on this journey, and I will continue to do so. But I hope to share more of myself with you. 
I think Satan loves to get in our heads and tell us,” People don’t really care about that. Why do they want to know about you? You’re not famous, just an everyday person. People will just laugh at you.” 
Stephanie Nielson was just an everyday person who had to overcome extraordinary circumstances. She writes that she never would have survived without God. I’ve never had to survive a plane crash (thank goodness), but I learned so much from her journey…only because I got to know her personally through her book. If I’d simply read a newspaper article highlighting the details of her accident and recovery, I’d have learned nothing of her heart and her relationship with God. And it was God that saved her…completely. 
Prescription drug addiction is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States. In 2010, enough painkillers were prescribed to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for an entire month. Although most prescriptions are deemed necessary for medical use, many end up in the hands of people who misuse or abuse them. In 2010, about 12 million Americans over the age of twelve reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers in the past year.
There are a plethora of self-help books out there on addiction. There are tons of memoirs about drug abuse—mostly by famous people addicted to illegal drugs. But prescription drugs are legal. Prescribed by doctors every day. To Christians who would never dream of misusing or abusing prescription drugs. Until they are addicted, that is. 
It won’t be pleasant digging up emotions that I’d really rather leave in the past or the constant struggle going on in my brain the entire time I struggled with addiction. But I want people to be able to read what I write and know me—like I know Stephanie now.

It will be hard to write; but today, I’m writing this post. 

Tomorrow will take care of itself.


From my heart,

Celeste

Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, Making Changes, Overcoming Addiction Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Road to a Flawless Experience

2 May, 2012 by 2 Comments

When we must endure hard times in our lives, it’s usually impossible to envision what good could possibly come of it. If you regularly read my blog, you may have read a recent post on Blind Trust.

Believing in God is easy. Putting our complete trust in Him is not. 

In today’s prescription verse above, Paul tells us how our trials and struggles actually make us better. 

You couldn’t say anything Paul didn’t have a comeback for: 

People: “You know preaching about this Jesus is going to get you killed. “
Paul: “To die is gain.”

People: “Okay, then we’ll let you live.”
Paul: “To live is Christ.”

People: “Then we are going to torture you.”
Paul: “I don’t compare my current sufferings to future glory.”

People: “We will put you in prison.”
Paul: “Then I’ll bring a hymnal and sing songs and convert all your guards.”

Here are a few of the “minor” ways Paul suffered for the sake of Christ: 

2 Corinthians 11:24-28~He received thirty nine lashes on his back for the sake of the gospel.
He was beaten with rods three times for the sake of the gospel.
He was stoned one time for the sake of the gospel (He was not HIGH on rocks. He was HIT with rocks! A group usually did this in the old days!)
He was shipwrecked three times in travels for the sake of the gospel.
He was thrown in the belly of a ship for a day and a night, (the deep), for the sake of the gospel.
He had many dangerous trips, (among highwaymen and robbers), for the sake of the gospel.
He had to travel through dangerous rivers for the sake of the gospel.
He was often in danger from his own people for the sake of the gospel.
He was in danger from Gentiles for the sake of the gospel.
He was in dangers in the city for the sake of the gospel.
He was in dangers in the wilderness for the sake of the gospel.
He was in danger from false Christians for the sake of the gospel.
He suffered toil and hardship for the sake of the gospel.
He spent sleepless nights for the gospel.
He was hungry and thirsty for the sake of the gospel.
He was in fasting often for the sake of the gospel.
He was in cold and nakedness for the sake of the gospel.
In addition to all of the above, as an Apostle, he had the worry of all of the churches daily on him for the sake of the gospel.
And yet he still trusted. He knew that all of the persecution he faced would be worth the day he would encounter Jesus and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  

David and I went to Florida last week. Yes, I overcame My Irrational Fear and actually flew on the same airplane as David…leaving our kids behind at home (I’ll share a story later this week about our flight—God definitely has a sense of humor). We stayed at a fabulous resort in Orlando where his convention was being held and we came upon this sign as we were exploring the hotel: 



I couldn’t help but apply that to life. 


Just like Paul, we are always under construction. God uses every situation to make us better…if we let Him. 


As we travel life’s highway, we need to remember there will always be construction paving our way to a flawless experience in Heaven! 

From my heart, 

Celeste


Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Shift Your Paradigm

1 May, 2012 by 4 Comments


Do you know what a “paradigm shift” is? It must be a fairly important concept to understand. When I looked up the word “paradigm” in the dictionary to give you a definition, I actually found “paradigm shift” in the dictionary. I expected to find “paradigm,” but not “paradigm shift.” 

paradigm shift
noun
a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
I believe the term probably became worthy of a space in the dictionary when The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey was published. 
Here’s the example of a paradigm shift he shares in the book: 

I remember a mini-paradigm shift I experienced one Saturday morning on a subway in New York. People were sitting quietly—some reading newspapers, some lost in thought, some resting with their eyes closed. It was a calm, peaceful scene.

Then suddenly, a man and his children entered the subway car. The children were so loud and rambunctious that instantly the whole climate changed. 

The man sat down next to me and closed his eyes, apparently oblivious to the situation. The children were yelling back and forth, throwing things, and even grabbing people’s papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the man sitting next to me did nothing. 

It was difficult not to feel irritated. I could not believe that he could be so insensitive as to let his children run wild like that and do nothing about it, taking no responsibility at all. It was easy to see that everyone else on the subway felt irritated, too. So finally, with what I felt was unusual patience and restraint, I turned to him and said, “Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn’t control them a little more?”

The man lifted his gaze as if to come to a consciousness of the situation for the first time and said softly, “Oh, you’re right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don’t know what to think, and I guess they don’t know how to handle it either.”

Can you imagine what I felt like at that moment? My paradigm shifted. Suddenly I saw things differently. I felt differently, I behaved differently. My irritation vanished. I didn’t have to worry about controlling my attitude or behavior; my heart was filled with the man’s pain. Feelings of sympathy and compassion flowed freely. “Your wife just died? Oh, I’m so sorry! Can you tell me about it? What can I do to help?”

Everything changed in an instant. 

Did it give you chills to read that story? 
Not to completely stereotype myself, but I grew up as a Southern-Baptist-only-child-goody-two-shoes kind of girl. My life was wonderful. I succeeded at most anything I attempted, and I held myself to very high standards. You know…the perfectionist. While I am grateful to my parents for the wonderful childhood I had, being a perfectionist did not serve me well. 

When my world was turned up side down with the onset of grand-mal seizures and the following drug addiction, I spiraled into adeep depression. I really believe I could have handled the seizures and all the came along with them—no driving, no bathtub/swimming alone, bumps and bruises—but the fact that I “allowed myself” to end up addicted to pain medication was just too much. It was the infamous straw that broke the camel’s back. 

The thing was, when I finally admitted to the world that I’d had an addiction, so many people said, “Of all the people I thought could become a drug addict, I never would have believed it would be you.” And I say, “Me either!” 
Anytime I had to go to the hospital for anything (usually seizures, but once a bad stomach bug I picked up in Florida), I told them no narcotics because I had been addicted. Now, this was after I got off the Lortab. While I was still struggling, I welcomed pain meds at the hospital! Anyway, as soon as I was labeled an “addict,” I was treated differently. And no, it was not in my imagination. 
Its really funny—and yet not so funny—how God gave me a serious paradigm shift. For the first fourteen years I worked as a pharmacist, I was judgmental of my customers who came in every month for pain medicine. I didn’t want to be, but I couldn’t help it. I could not understand how they were so dependent and desperate for their pain pills every month. WOW did I get some empathy lessons. My perspective changed completely when I learned first hand how they felt. I found myself walking in their shoes. 
So my challenge for you today is to not be judgmental. Let God be the only judge. Know that no matter how a situation seems, there is always more than meets the eye. When you find yourself passing judgment, remember that God loves everyone, and he is the only judge. It’s very freeing to be able to love people for the messed up humans they are, and let God do the judging!
Don’t wait for something to shift your paradigm, shift it yourself.  
From my heart,
Celeste




Filed Under: Freedom in Christ, Have an Eternal Perspective, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Blind Trust

23 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment


When I was little, I remember playing the “trust” game with my friends. You know, the one where you stand in front of someone and blindly fall backwards, trusting them to catch you? It’s really hard to do. 

•   Sometimes they catch you
•   Sometimes they are just mean and decide to let you fall
•   Sometimes they claim they didn’t know you were about to fall back

Either way, sometimes you turn out okay, other times, not so much.
How would it feel to know that no matter when you decide to close your eyes and fall backward, there would always be someone there to catch you? 
You see where I’m going with this…there IS always someone there. God. 
If you believe in our almighty God, it’s not hard to know He’s there. The hard part is actually trusting Him—having the faith to know that He is there and He is in control, no matter what the situation. 
Bad things happen we don’t always understand. 


If you click on the links to the stories above, you will see something they all have in common. No matter how hopeless the situation seemed, God used it to expand the boundaries of His kingdom. That’s His plan. 
As humans, we live bound by the limits of time. Everything in this world has as beginning and an end, and it’s hard for us to comprehend eternity. God created time, and His desire is to spend and infinite amount of it with His children in His kingdom—a paradise we will know as Heaven. 
So today’s make-a-change Monday is to work on our spiritual self—and I promise when our spiritual self is in good shape, our physical self follows along. 
Every morning when you wake up, pray this short prayer:
“God, I’m putting my trust in you today. 
No matter what happens, good or bad, I know you have it under control,
 and it’s all part of your plan to create an eternity beyond my wildest dreams.”
And just so you don’t forget, get out that all-purpose post-it note, write “trust” on it, and stick it on your alarm clock. Gotta love those post-it notes! 
Just in case you are thinking, “If God has this big plan, it doesn’t matter if I pray or not,” let me say this: 
Prayer doesn’t change God. Prayer changes us.
 Praying “tunes us in” to God and His plan,
 and makes us more aware of His presence in our lives.
Just try it. Even if it’s just words starting out, God will begin working in your heart. Remember, it’s all about small changes. Try it for 3 months and see if your thinking changes. What do you have to lose? 
I’ve got my post-it note up to remind me! 😉
From my heart,
Celeste


Filed Under: Living in Faith, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~A Yummy and Natural Sugar Substitute

16 April, 2012 by 1 Comment

I took today’s prescription verse from The Message—a modern-day language translation of the Bible. I’m not sure Solomon was really speaking of “fast food” here, but how well it applies to today!  

We’ve been talking about sugar lately—how it negatively affects us physically and emotionally. But the artificial sweeteners are just that—artificial. We reach for both sugar and artificial sweeteners because we want something fast and easy (and sweet). 
So today, I am giving you just a little easy tip for your make-a-change Monday. 
How many of us love sugar in our coffee? I’ve gotten a little better over the years; I used to drink a little coffee in my sugar! 
There is a natural sweetener that has gained a little popularity recently…enough so that it can be found at Wal-Mart! It’s Agave Nectar. Here’s you a picture: 
Last Monday’s make-a-change was to do a sugar fast…or a least a sugar decrease 😉 In that post I told you about how sugar causes our pancreas to produce insulin, therefore prohibiting it from producing glucagon, thus increasing our belly fat 🙁 This means it has a high “glycemic index. 
Sugar (glucose), or anything that rapidly converts to glucose in the bloodstream, has a high glycemic index. Foods that do not rapidly convert to glucose, but rather convert slowly, creating a lower and more steady level of blood glucose, have a low glycemic index and are much better for you. 
Here’s a link to tell you all you need to know about Agave Nectar and the beneficial effects. 
So when you hit the grocery store this week, pick up a bottle of Agave Nectar and try substituting it for your sugar necessities this week. 
It’s especially good in coffee and oatmeal! 
Let’s keep making those good little changes and see how far we’ve come by the end of the summer! Hopefully we will see happier and healthier versions of ourselves. 
I want to see the me God wants me to be. 
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy

14 April, 2012 by 1 Comment



Since we’ve been talking about how sugar affects your health, I thought it would be helpful to look into the plethora of sugar substitutes available to us today that are FDA approved. 


My research, most of which I already knew, brought me back to the conclusion I shared in an old blog post, God’s Pharmacy. We just can’t leave well enough alone. God gave us some great stuff when he created the earth! But we insist on manipulating it to suit our desires. 


Here is a great list of the FDA approved artificial sweeteners available to us I found in an article on the Spark People website: 


Acesulfame-Potassium (Acesulfame-K) goes by the brand names Ace-K, Sunett and Sweet One. It is a combination of organic acid and potassium that is often blended with other sugar substitutes.

  • 200 times sweeter than sugar
  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

Aspartame goes by the brand names Equal and NutraSweet. It is composed of two amino acids (proteins), aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested food additives, according to the FDA. People with the rare heredity disease phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame.

    • 160-220 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 4 calories per gram (metabolized as a protein), but because such a small amount is needed to sweeten foods and beverages, the calories provided by aspartame are considered negligible.
  • Not heat stable (cannot be used in cooking or baking)
  • Produces a limited glycemic response
  • ADI: 50 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages.

    • 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 18 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Rapidly metabolized and excreted

 

 

Saccharin goes by the brand names Necta Sweet, Sugar Twin and Sweet ‘N Low.

    • 200-700 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Stevia (Rebaudioside A) goes by the names PureVia, Sun Crystals and Truvia. It is a steviol glycoside, one component of the stevia plant that provides sweetness.

    • 250-300 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates per gram
  • ADI: 0-4 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Metabolized by the body into steviol, which is not absorbed in the blood and therefore leaves the body unchanged

 

 

Sucralose goes by the brand name Splenda.

    • 600 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 5mg/kg body weight per day
  • Poorly absorbed and excreted unchanged

 

 

Want to know what they all have in common? They are all synthetic chemicals. 


I could write all day on the dangers of these artificial sweeteners. The lists are unending of the problems they can cause, the studies the have been done to prove their safety (or risks), and the questions they leave unanswered.


Now here’s a fun little list of possible dangers of artificial sweeteners: 

  • Weight gain (I know, quite ironic isn’t it?)
  • Headaches
  • Allergies
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  • Gastro-intestinal disorders
  • Cancer
Pretty scary, right? 



The stevia seems to be the most promising of possibilities for a good natural sweetener, but  the form approved by the FDA sold in the US has been chemically altered. 


So why do we put these chemicals in our bodies? 


I’m going to give you some great articles to read if you’d like to read further, but I’m summing it up. 


In one of the articles I read on the safety of Stevia and the concern for it’s FDA approval, this statement stuck out like a sore thumb: 


In the U.S., we like to go to extremes,” adds toxicologist Ryan Huxtable of the University of Arizona in Tucson. “So a significant number of people here might consume much greater amounts.” (Nutrition Action)



Now read today’s prescription verse. Yes, I know it’s about wine—a little wine that is— but shouldn’t it apply to everything? It’s about moderation and using what God gave us. When it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners, I’m going with plain old unsweet. If I must have something sweet, a little cane sugar (the most natural form of sugar we can buy) seems to be the safest answer. If the natural form of stevia is easy to buy, I will use it as well. As for all the rest, STAY AWAY! They are nothing but trouble. 


Hope you found this post helpful! 

From my heart,

Celeste



P.S. Here’s the link to my stack of delicious article if you’d like to do some more reading for yourself: The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy


P.S.S. Don’t forget to read Monday’s post for make-a-change Monday. I have one great tip for you to help you change sugar habits that I didn’t reveal today 😉


Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make-a-Change Monday~Surprise!

9 April, 2012 by 2 Comments
My oldest daughter, Miranda, turned 18 on Saturday. We asked her repeatedly what she’d like for her birthday, and the only answer we ever got was “love.” First, she loves being loved, and second, she couldn’t think of anything she really wants. If you know Miranda, you know she is loved. She demands love and attention, but more than she demands it, she deserves it. 
Miranda had her birthday all planned out in her mind, and of course the day didn’t go at all as planned. Most things typically don’t, right? 
At the end of the day, she was a little bummed out. She didn’t want to be, but I could tell she was. 
What she didn’t know was the amount of “love” she’d be getting on Sunday. We had a big surprise birthday party planned for her. It turned out great. We surprised her for sure and had a house full of her friends jump out at her yelling “surprise” when she walked in the door. 
The previously bummed-out Miranda was now smiling from ear to ear.

  • She loved her friends for caring enough about her to be there
  • She loved being the center of attention
  • She loved the fun we all shared
  • She loved that we love her enough to have planned it
  • She loved the surprise    
The surprise built her up. 
The surprise made her feel special. 
The surprise made her feel loved. 
God commands us in scripture to build each other up. There is enough tearing people down in our society don’t you think? 
So…today’s make-a-change Monday is to surprise someone. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate surprise party. You could:
  • Take a bag of groceries to someone in need
  • Grab a Starbucks coffee and take to a friend
  • Plant some spring flowers for a neighbor
  • Babysit for a friend to have a night out
  • Take a friend to a movie
The possibilities are endless…and the blessings are plenty. 
You never know what small gesture will make a difference.
Was Miranda blessed by being the recipient of a surprise? Absolutely. Was I a pleased-as-punch, camera-toting mom? You betcha! The slightly bewildered, on-top-of-the-world look on her face was priceless; one I wanted to remember forever. 
Surprises are good for everybody!  
…And remember,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,
 you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40 ESV)


From my heart,
Celeste

P.S. I’d love for you to leave me a comment with your surprise, and any blessings received!


Filed Under: Just for Fun, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Parenting Tips, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , ,

Make a Change Monday~A Sugar Fast

2 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I am currently reading Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst, and I love it. I’ll talk more about the book at a later date, but for now I just want to share one of Lysa’s suggestions for today’s make-a-change. 

Lysa explains we are made to crave. God designed our bodies to crave, but more importantly, he designed our soul to crave…Him. When we sacrifice something our body craves and replace that physical craving with a spiritual craving, we grow closer to God. It’s really that simple. 
But denying ourselves our physical cravings is not simple at all. It requires will power and prayer. 
On Saturday I shared with you what sugar does to your brain—how it affects your emotions. Today I want to share just one thing sugar does to your body that will help motivate you even more: 

When you eat sugar, your pancreas produces insulin to break it down. When your blood sugar is low, on the other hand, your pancreas produces glucagon to find something in your body it can break down to use for energy. The only time your body produces glucagon is when your blood sugar is low. Here’s the kicker…the glucagon targets fat in your body, especially around the belly area, to break down into glucose for your body and brain to use. 
I know it gets confusing and takes a little backward thinking, so think of it like this: 
The less sugar you give your body, the more fat your body will break down to use as energy. 
Giving up sugar is tough, but the less we eat it, the less we crave it. 
So today’s make-a-change is to give up sugar, or at least cut back. Word of warning though, don’t switch to “diet” drinks and “artificially sweetened” products. And if it says “sugar free,” make sure it doesn’t have the artificial sweeteners either. I’ll talk more about artificial sweeteners soon, but for now, know that the only sweeteners you should use in substitute for sugar are Xylitol and Stevia. 
So when you want that Pepsi—40 grams of sugar— at the movies, say a quick prayer, and choose water instead. (And save a few bucks!)

…And you may just get in a few more—or a lot more—conversations with God throughout your day! 

From my heart, 
Celeste
 P.S. For ways to decrease the sugar in your diet, check out my delicious stack of helpful articles with lots of tips and hints; but beware of those artificial sweeteners. There are still many believers in Nutrasweet and the like…

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier you in 2012~The Sweet Truth

31 March, 2012 by 1 Comment



What are the most common conditions for which we would consider a change in our diet?


•   High blood pressure? 
•   Obesity?
•   Diabetes?
•    
Those are the no-brainers. But what about your brain? Do you think about the food we eat being connected to our brain? 

Let me give you an example from personal experience: 

When I was finishing pharmacy school, I did a clinical rotation at Greenville Memorial Hospital in the Cancer Treatment Center. I had to be up on the 5th floor of the hospital at 7:00 AM to do rounds with Dr. Gluck. Every single morning, about half way through rounds, I got very light headed, weak, shaky, and I broke out in a sweat. My heart beat so hard I felt like I was having a panic attack. I’d go into the hall and sit down with my head between my knees afraid I would throw up or pass out, neither of which anyone had time for. 

After a few weeks of this everyday occurrence, Dr. Gluck examined me, but could find nothing wrong. The patients we were seeing every morning were stage 4 cancer patients at the very end of their lives—tough situations for a 20-year-old college student to handle at 7:00 AM every morning. We just figured the situations were getting to me. It was somewhat overwhelming, but I couldn’t believe it could make me physically ill. 

Finally, when I was about at the end of my rotation, the pharmacist I worked with asked me what I was eating for breakfast. Every morning I ate toast with grape jelly around 6:15 AM.

He suggested I switch to cheese toast and see if it would make a difference. 

What do you know? I was absolutely fine. 

When I ate jelly on my toast for breakfast, I was getting a sugar high. Then, around 7:30, my insulin was in high gear to take care of processing that sugar, and caused my sugar to drop so rapidly, it almost did me in. I ended up in a hypoglycemic state. It can be confusing to think of getting hypoglycemia when we eat too  much sugar, but it’s the insulin’s response to the high sugar that throws us into hypoglycemia. 

Look at today’s prescription verse. …Be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
There is a definite mind-body-soul connection. What affects one affects the other.  

Our brain relies on a steady, balanced level of glucose to function properly. When we eat too much sugar, our body goes into overdrive trying to process it, causing a rise in adrenalin and cortisol (the fight or flight hormone). As I’ve stated before, this rise in cortisol will cause a decrease in serotonin and other hormones in the brain. Basically, everything gets out of whack. The more unbalanced our sugar intake is, the more unbalanced our mood is. 

Our brain and body need to stay in balance, so it is essential that our diet be balanced as well. 

Too much sugar does not a balanced diet make. Here’s the link to a great article I found explaining this phenomenon well: Conquering Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue Without Drugs—the Role of Hypoglycemia
My reaction to sugar was somewhat extreme. Most reaction are much more subtle and not as easy to diagnose. Here are some symptoms to look for that could be blamed on sugar intake: 
•   Anxiety
•   Nervousness
•   Restlessness
•   Irritability
•   Depression
•   Forgetfulness
•   Crying spells
•   Inability to concentrate
…And there are many more. 

How incredible would it be to just balance your sugar intake and solve these problems without the use of drugs? It may or may not work, but all you’ve lost is a few pounds! 

Here are some suggestions from The Hypoglycemic Diet to start you in the right direction: 
1) Avoidance of sugar, coffee, strong tea, nicotine if possible, refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice, cakes and sugary drinks, candy bars, colas, cookies, ice cream sweetish fruits such as bananas, grapefruit, melons, honey and dates (these fruits may be reintroduced at a later stage in moderation) etc.
2) High protein + complex carbohydrates snacks every three hours or sooner, to provide a slow release of glucose, and to prevent the hypoglycemic dip. A high protein breakfast must be considered the most important meal of the day. Good sources of proteins are eggs, white meat as in chicken and fish. Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits and the more varied the diet the better it is.
3) Supplementation of diet with Anti-stress vitamin B-Complex tablets, including vitamin B6, B3, B12, chromium picolinate, magnesium, zinc + Vitamin C, and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamin D. 
4) Other supplements that could slow down the absorption of glucose (thereby avoiding blood sugar peaks and the release of stress hormones) are: Psyllium Seeds Husks (1 tbsp. per day), Glucomannan including pectin (follow instructions on bottle), Grapefruit and Cinnamon.
So the sweet truth is that sugar is not so sweet after all. It can be downright mean. 

Let’s don’t let something so simple as sugar control our emotions. And did you know when we stop eating sugar, we stop craving it? But that’s another blog post…
From my heart,
Celeste
P.S. If you’d like more great information on sugar and diet, here’s the link to my delicious stack of articles on The Sweet Truth.
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Rescue Your Fridge…and Your Family!

26 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Since we’ve been on the topic of food lately, I have a confession to make: 
I really don’t like to cook. 
For those of you who know me personally, I’m sure it’s no surprise. Cooking has always been a struggle for me. As soon as I get on a roll, I get in a rut. 
I begin with great intentions. 
•   I get together my recipes…some new and some old. 
•   I take a pantry inventory and make my grocery list.
•   After my trip to the store, I put away the groceries and keep my recipes out to use.
I typically cook the first few of my planned meals, but as the week progresses and schedules change, I end up with ingredients and leftovers in the refrigerator that I don’t use. 
That’s where I am now. 
Once again, my refrigerators (yes, two of them) are full of food that’s probably growing it’s own food by now. 
Today’s prescriptions verse is from Proverbs 31—you know, the “perfect woman” chapter of the Bible. This particular verse pretty much flattens my toes and really should be rewritten for me to say:
She does okay looking to the ways of her
household and tries not to eat
 the bread of  moldiness.
For those of you who cook every night and actually keep your fridge in good shape, you get this week off…or you can get motivated and make another change you’ve been thinking about. Leave me a comment if you do; it might be a change I need to make too! 
For those of you like me, today’s “make a change Monday” is to clean out the refrigerator—and make an attempt to keep it that way. 
And, so you don’t open the refrigerator door and stare blankly, here’s the link to my delicious stack of great articles to tell you what to do: Rescue Your Fridge…And Your Family!
Time to get busy looking to my household. 
…And my moldy bread! 
From my heart,
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, Family Focused, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Music Therapy

17 March, 2012 by 7 Comments
Everyone is affected by music. In one form or another, it’s all around us. 
In the Bible, David wrote the entire book of Psalm dedicated to singing to the Lord. David had a heart for God, but if you read the stories of David in scripture, you also know he was just another sinful human being saved by the grace of God. 
Music has been used for years as therapy for depression, stroke victims, and accident victims—virtually anyone, whose brain has been altered—to aid in their recovery. 
One particular study quoted in a Men’s Health article, “How iTunes Cures Depression” does a good job explaining how music helps our brain without getting too sciency 😉

  • It’s a distraction. “The brain is organized in such a way that thinking about one bad thing recalls another,” Salimpoor says. “Music provides a great intrusion and breaks this cycle. When you’re concentrating on the music you hear, you don’t have the mental resources to focus on other negative thoughts.”
  • It gets you high. Salimpoor authored a study earlier this year published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, which found listening to your favorite songs boosts levels of the hormone dopamine. “Dopamine gets us excited and motivated to do things,” she says. “There are many drugs that target this system, but music provides a natural high.”
  • It makes you feel understood. Just because you’re feeling sad doesn’t mean you should avoid sad songs. In fact, “listening to sad songs can make you feel like someone out there knows exactly how you feel,” Salimpoor says. “And that can help you feel less alone when 
One of my favorite old country songs is “The Song Remembers When” by Trisha Yearwood. Being a country song, you know it’s about some relationship gone wrong, but I love the gist of the song. No matter what you’re doing or where you are, a song can take you back to a specific memory in time. And how true that is! Even this song takes me back to driving into the mountains about 18 years ago on our way to a weekend away in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 
I know how horrible my memory is; yet I can hear a song and it will trigger a memory I hadn’t thought of in years. That’s pretty powerful. 
We know David sang to the Lord.
We know science has proven music to have positive effects to our brain. 
We know a song can take you back to a specific memory or event in time. 
So here’s my tip to a happier you for this week: I want you to listen to Christian Music and only Christian music for the next two weeks. Find a local Christian station, or use the free app, “TuneIn Radio,” on your iPhone and listen to my favorite, His Radio, WLFJ (89.3 FM).
Here are a few reasons why Christian music will be beneficial to you:
  1. Once you learn a few songs, you’ll love them.
  2. If you listen to the words, you can’t help but be blessed.
  3.  You end up worshiping every time you drive. 
  4. You’ll find that you and your kids will quickly learn the words and sing along. (You are writing scripture on their hearts.)
  5. You’ll begin thinking on good things, not putting songs in your mind about cheating, drinking, and gambling…subjects of a multitude of today’s pop and country music. (Just today I heard a 15-year-old refer to R&B music as “baby-makin’ music.”)
And the neatest benefit of all about listening to Christian music goes back to my favorite old country song: When “The Song” that you hear “Remembers When,” it will take you back to a time or a memory where there was Jesus. 
From my heart,
Celeste
P.S. For more articles on how music cures depression, check out my Delicious Stack here

 

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Maintaining a Healthy Body pH Could Save Your Life!

12 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Between my career as a pharmacist and the seven years I spent trying to fix myself, I learned a LOT about health and nutrition. 

One thing you can count on in the world of nutrition is everyone has an opinion and they believe their way is the best way. 
Through research and/or personal experience, I tried: 
•   Xango Juice
•   Barley Green
•   Juicing
•   The Hallelujah Diet (all raw food)
•   The 21-day Detox Diet
•   Juice Plus
•   Gluten Free Diet
•   Noni Juice
•   Adrenal Gland Support Therapy

…And that’s honestly just a few. I can’t even remember them all. 
It’s really so simple. 
God gave us everything we need when he provided fruits and vegetables for us to eat. We have to make everything so complicated! 
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the nutritional “bandwagons” I tried, but they are all very expensive, and really not necessary. There’s one trait they have in common: they all work to increase the overall pH of your body. 
Our bodies are at their healthiest when we maintain a pH above 7—an alkaline pH. Anything below 7 is acidic. Anything above 7 is alkaline. When we maintain an alkaline pH, we can fight disease, including cancer. 
Did you know that cancer is nothing but an overgrowth of abnormal cells in our body and we all battle cancer every day? Those if us never diagnosed with cancer just happen to be keeping those cells under control with our immune system and a pH that is alkaline. 
When my dad was diagnosed with stage 4-lung cancer, I tested this theory. My mom and I tested our pH and found our to be between 7.5 and 8. My dad’s pH was 3. Extremely acidic. Unfortunately, I didn’t have this knowledge early enough to try to save my dad, as his cancer was stage 4 when we discovered it. But God uses all things for good, and now I know.


Here’s a link explaining pH a little more and how to test your pH: Restoring pH Balance in the Body. It’s as easy as putting a little strip of paper on your tongue! Click here to order online or they are available at most health food stores (Whole Foods, Earth Fare, GNC)
So today’s “make a change” just might prevent you from ever having to battle cancer. And it’s so easy! 
Begin eating and drinking foods that will increase your body’s pH. There are plenty of options, some you already eat. Our challenge is to add one new item to your diet this week, and continue for weeks following. 
Here’s a list of foods provided by a great article: Alkaline Foods to Increase Your pH Level


Slightly Alkaline Foods
These foods are only slightly alkaline, and can be used when your pH is only slightly low:
* Peas
* Watermelons
* Apples
* Blueberries
* Pears
* Grapes
* Onions
* Bananas
* Raspberries
* Peaches
* Tomatoes
* Oranges
* Lemons
* Apricots
* Grapefruits
* Potatoes (sweet or white)
* Strawberries
* Tangerines
Medium Alkaline Foods
* Cherries
* Limes
* Green Beans
* Dried Dates
* Raisins
* Avocado
* Pineapple
* Cauliflower
* Mushrooms
* Rutabagas
* Radishes
* Cucumbers
* Green Soy Beans
* Brussels Sprouts
* Beets
High Alkaline Foods
These foods have the highest alkalinity you can find in natural food sources. They can be helpful if your pH level is extremely low. If it’s not very low, consider trying some of the lower alkaline foods first.
* Broccoli
* Cabbage
* Rhubarb
* Lima Beans
* Lettuce
* Sauerkraut
* Watercress
* Chard
* Dried Beans
* Carrots
* Dried Figs
* Celery
* Molasses
* Beet Greens
* Raw Spinach
Here are some ways to increase your pH in what you drink from the article, What Drink Will Increase the pH Level of My Body?

 

 

Lemon and Lime Juice

Although lemons and limes, like all all citrus fruits, are highly acidic, they are actually an alkalizing food. Water with lemon or lime added is one of the best drinks for raising your pH level. Many restaurants serve water with lemon. Even if you’re in a restaurant that doesn’t, you can usually request it. Another great thing about water with lemon or lime is that it does not matter if the water is from the tap or filtered.

 


Vegetable Juice

Vegetable juice is an ideal beverage for increasing your pH level. Any combination of vegetables will get the job done, with the exception of corn and olives. In addition to increasing your pH level, you will also be given your body a good dose of other powerful vitamins and nutrients.

Almond Milk

Almonds are one of the best foods for lowering your acid level, so it’s a good thing that almond milk has become increasingly popular and can be found in almost any grocery store. If you can’t find almond milk at your local grocery store, you can order it online. Almond milk tastes great by itself but it’s also good on cereal.

 


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/485450-what-drink-will-increase-the-ph-level-of-my-body/#ixzz1opIDyIhW

So keep it simple and listen to the instruction God gave us in our prescription verse and again in Genesis 9:3. 

…And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.


From my heart,

Celeste



If you’d like to read more about body pH, here’s the link to my Delicious Stack containing the articles mentioned above plus a few more: Maintaining a Healthy Body pH
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Physical Wellness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Muddled Multitasking Mind

10 March, 2012 by 1 Comment


Join me inside my head for a few moments, will you?
I have got to go clean up the kitchen. 
{Walk to kitchen} 
I can’t believe Marlee left her dirty socks in the floor when she took off her shoes.
 {Pick up socks and take them to the laundry room}
Shoot— I can’t believe I forgot to take the clothes out of the washer last night and now the smell horrible! 
If I have to start it again, I might as well go see if there are any more towels and washcloths upstairs.
{Walk upstairs}
This bathroom is a mess. Miranda’s cabinet has got to be cleaned out. 
{Sit down in front of her bathroom cabinet}
Where did she get all this stuff? Oh, here’s her contact lens case.
 {Pulling out stuff, creating a mess on the floor} 
I must make her eye doctor appointment. 
{Walk downstairs to get phone}
I missed a call; let’s see whom it was from.
{Click on my email by accident}
E-mail from Vonda. I have to get this article finished for her.
{Go get computer}
Oh, I haven’t even done my blog post for this weekend! 
At the end of the hour (or two) that it’s taken me to run from task to task, here’s the situation:
•   My kitchen’s a mess
•   The clothes in the washer still stink
•   Miranda’s bathroom is now messier than it was to begin with
•   No eye appointment has been made
•   Have no idea who I missed a call from
•   The article is still unfinished
•   I still have a blog post to do
•   I’m frustrated and overwhelmed! 
Can you relate? 
I always think I can multitask, but I never get any one thing accomplished when I do. 
Look at today’s prescriptions verse. Let steadfastness have its full effect…
steadfast |ˈstedˌfast|
adjective
resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering 
DERIVATIVES
steadfastly adverb
steadfastness noun
ORIGIN Old English stedefæst [standing firm] (see stead , fast 1 ).
We need to be resolute and unwavering in what we do. Now, I realize “resolute” may be a little extreme for washing the dishes, but obviously multitasking does not work for me. I’ve never been one to do anything half way, good or bad. It’s my personality. I need to handle the everyday chores the same way. 
“To do two things at once is to do neither,” wisely wrote the Roman philosopher Publilius Syrus in the first century B.C. And modern research is proving him right. 
Now for the sciency stuff: 
If you’ve read some of my other tips, you know about cortisol—otherwise known as the “fight or flight” hormone, or stress hormone. 
We juggle different tasks; our brain perceives it as stress, and produces cortisol. An increased level of Cortisol causes a decrease in the level of serotonin, thus causing depression and anxiety. 
In addition, increased cortisol causes: 
•   An increase in blood pressure
•   Chronic fatigue
•   Insomnia
•   Weight gain
•   A drop in immune response leading to viruses and infections
These are awfully negative consequences for doing something we think increases our productivity, when in reality it doesn’t. It takes longer to do two things at once that to focus and get them done one at a time. We can only process one activity at a time, and it takes our brain a few seconds to switch from one activity to another. 
For those of you like me, leading a crazy busy life, an article from WebMD offers the following suggestions:
•   Mix and match. Pair high-cortical involvement tasks — those that involve judgment — with routine, physical tasks that the cerebellum, the brain’s autopilot, can handle. For example, talk to your mom on the phone while folding laundry.
•   Rest your case. If your hectic schedule demands you rise at the crack of dawn, steal an hour from the TV at night. A sleepy brain can’t focus.
•   Wean from screens. Resist email, the Internet, texting — anything that’s not essential to the work you’re doing right now.
•   Ban boredom. Try to do what you love and what matters most. Organize your life around this principle, and you won’t be tempted away from the task at hand.
I have been using The Pomodoro Technique recently. To put it simply, you set a timer for twenty-five minutes and focus on only one activity until the timer goes off. There is much more to it that you can read if you like in the Pomodoro Technique PDF you can download for free here.
Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
So for today’s tip, join with me in learning to focus and quit running yourself in circles.
I challenge you to get a simple kitchen timer and focus on one thing at a time in increments of twenty-five minutes. Whether it’s laundry, writing, praying, reading, or cleaning, choose one item. Work on it for twenty-five minutes, take a five minutes break, then reset the timer and start again. Do this consistently for just three or four hours one morning and just see how much you’ve accomplished. 
I bet you’ll be surprised! 
From my heart,
Celeste





Filed Under: Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , ,