Learning to take a compliment is something that we struggle with our whole lives. As  children we hear about how pretty/strong/tall/happpy we are from strangers, and most of us would blush and hide behind the nearest parent. As adults we seem to find the quickest excuse as to why the compliment isn't true! Don't believe me? Does this scenario sound familiar...

Complimentor: " Wow! You look great! New workout plan?"
Self: "Really? No, check out this big zit, and I feel like a total cow this week!"

We all do it! Denying someone the pleasure of giving a compliment makes everyone involved feel bad! Learn to take a compliment! Say "thank you" and be done.

One of the greatest mood boosters we can do for ourselves, is give someone else and HONEST compliment! It doesn't have to be about looks, or clothes, it can be about something a coworker did, "hey- I really liked the way you handled that guy when he yelled at you- you should teach lessons on patience!" It makes you feel great because you know they are appreciative of being noticed for something good.

So here's your tip/task for the week! Give an honest compliment every day. And, when you get a compliment, accept it politely and say thank you. Remember, you don't have to give one back. Just take it and run! :)

And by the way.... Great shoes! :>P

I'm actually writing this blog piece on Tuesday night, because I found myself unable to stop thinking about the conversation I had today, and I wanted to capture it, while still in the moment.

Tonight I was at the gym. I struggled to get there, it was a rough Tuesday, I'm overwhelmed at work, and my body is still adjusting to the time change. But I went, because, well- because I never regret going to the gym.

While riding the bike, with every last ounce of energy I had, a friend from the gym plops on the bike next to me. He is also struggling, and we joke about our lack of motivation. He comments that he's having a really hard time with seeing everything going on in Japan and how things just keep getting worse. Before he really started the spiral downward, I stopped him.

"You know how I'm getting through this?", I asked. "I'm finding something good in each day to focus on! Today, I'm focused on my friend Joe and his wife, and how they are in Russia meeting their new daughter that they will be adopting. There IS GOOD HAPPENING IN THE WORLD-- just look for it!!"

And he said to me- "Russia? That's cool-- but I hope they don't get stuck there!" To which I said, "stop being so negative" and turned to my bike and my book before he sucked me in.

"You're right" he said, "and hey- we are here riding these bikes, and that's a good thing!" and I smiled... then he continued "I've alwasy been that way, bad things can happen to anyone".

Oh boy.

I won't bore you with the whole conversation, but I will leave you with this. Stay positive. Think positive. Yes, things might be bad for you right now, and it's scary, but you can't let it take you down! Find something good to focus on each day to get you through.  There are indeed, good things happening in the world, we just need to find them.

So, we are a day behind on the Wellness Wednesday tip... my internet was down and the computer is acting up. Crikey! So, this was yesterday's Wellness Tip.

Today is Ash Wednesday, celebrated by Catholics as the beginning of the Lenten season.  It's a time of year, where many of us, religious or not, make 6 week committments, or Lenten Sacrifices. It's like a mini New Years Resolution.

A resolution- that is what I would like you to do this week. Come up with a mini goal. A 40 day campaign to a better, healthier you.

Maybe you can give up chocolate, or your afternoon treat. But, it doesn't have to be a sacrifice (but it might still feel like one), I personally, am giving up eating dinner in front of the TV. It's a habit change. Swap an hour of TV for an hour with a book!  Or maybe try adding something to your life- vow to eat a fruit or veggie with every meal, or drink a glass of milk.

This goal is just a baby step toward a better you! Stick with it for 40 days and you are half way to the 12 week mark of creating a new habit!

There is a psychological principle out there that says, think about something and you move towards it. It's the theory of positive thinking.

However, many of us, do not think positively. We do our thinking in the negative; don't forget to bring your laptop back to work tomorrow! Because our minds work on pictures, immeditately after hearing yourself say, "don't forget" you get a mental picture of sitting at work tomorrow, cursing because you did indeed forget the laptop!

Try using positive mental imagines and words. Here are some examples:

Instead of "don't forget your laptop", think "remember your laptop"

When the children are screaming, instead of scolding them and saying, "don't scream!", use the phrase "Please be quiet".

As you are attempting that plate of spaghetti, think to yourself, "eat carefully!" instead of "don't let me splatter sauce on my shirt!".

This kind of positive reinforcement, does wonders for self-esteem and creates postive thought patterns.

So this week, when you find yourself using negative words, or phrases, stop, think, and see if you can turn it positive!

This week's weekly wellness tip comes from a very personal place. A place that many of us don't like to deal with. The place is Procrastination city!!

This morning, as I was leaving the house, one of my cats followed me to the door and seemingly, didn't want me to leave. This is the second time she's done this in the last two work weeks. The first time, it really bothered me, but this morning it seemed like it was just becoming a new habit. Tonight I came home (nearly 9pm) after being gone since 6am, and while Zyta met me at the top of my stairs, she is very skittish and jumpy and acting strange. I can't help but think that this is related to a few other strange things I've noticed over the last few weeks. I know in my heart it's time to call the vet. But, I hate facing up to her possibly being sick! Last time I took her in she howled and cried the entire 7 miles, it was awful! But I know, I will not have piece of mind until I call.

So, here is my wellness challenge. I will call the vet tomorrow, and you will do just one of the tasks you've been putting off! Maybe it's your own doctor's appointment, or gathering up your tax info, or making a phone call to someone to say you are sorry.  Whatever it is, stop putting it off and rest easy knowing

For the last few weeks we've been focused on food and recording little parts of our daily eating habits. Today, we are stepping outside of the food box, and focusing on another area of wellness: Stress management.

Most of us live crazy busy lives, and end up in bed at night thinking of all of the things we forgot to do, have to do, or just want to do. For many people, this kind of brain activity can cause sleepless nights.

Journaling can be tedious and time consuming, but it's a great way to get everything in one spot, right where you can see it. To this day, I keep a journal of everything that I want to do with Dandy Life. From classes I would like to teach, to ideas I would like to blog, to marketing ideas! Keeping them all in one place has helped me out a ton! And, quite frankly, works way better than 15 sticky notes on my cell phone (so I remember to bring them home) at the end of the day.

Weekly Wednesday Wellness Tip: Keep a journal. It doesn't have to be fancy, just functional. I'm not talking "Dear Diary" here, I'm talking about keeping a running list of things that you are thinking about.

Are you stumped on where to start? Here's some ideas.
*write a reminder to set that Dentist appointment you've been putting off.
*plan a few days worth of meals (and write a grocery list)
*What's on your calendar for the rest of the month? Is there anything that needs to be done before that bake sale next weekend?

These are just starter ideas, but let's see what you come up with. Journaling is a great way to clear you mind, and if you DO wake up in the middle of the night, write your thoughts in your journal. Studies show this kind of stress is based on the fear of forgetting. If you write it down, you don't have to remember it!

Need extra credit points? Once you have your list: act on it! It's a great feeling of accomplishment to cross off the things you completed!

Good Luck with this week's mission!

*First of all- I apologize for the delay in posting! The power went out twice at my house last night, the second time I was in the middle of writing this blog, it doesn't save as you go- and I lost everything. Thank you for your patience*

As a nutrition coach, the number one excuse I hear for not eating well is "I don't have time!". It's true- eating well is a commitment, and it takes time and energy to do it right. Thankfully, when you start eating right, you have more energy to do it!

The best tip I can give you, is to prepare and plan. So this week, we are going to get you started. First, spend a few minutes thinking about healthy snacks that you enjoy. Perhaps a few of them are on the Heart Healthy list from last week. Make a list of these choices, and hit the grocery store!

Most veggies hold up well if you take the time to wash them and cut them up when you get home.  Fruits are usually best to prepare when ready to eat. bit make a great take along snack.

This week, your challenge is to pack 2 healthy snacks each day- assuming you leave the house for work or school- if not- just plan two healthy snacks--- and eat them! This may mean that you have to turn down the afternoon cookie- so that you can get in your cup of yogurt (but, isn't that kind of the point??). So after you've had your snacks-- add them to your calendar of heart healthy foods from last week.

Good luck with this weeks challenge.

February in Heart Health month. It seems like a natural fit that our first Wellness Wednesday tip of the month would focus on heart health. While we all know excercise is great for you heart, it's not enough! We all could stand to eat a little better. There are plenty of ways to work heart healthy foods into your daily mix.

Wellness Wednesday Challege #5: This MONTH (yes, the whole month) focus on eating at least one of the following 25 heart healthy foods per day. Take this challenge one step farther and record that food on a calendar.

The Cleveland Clinic, The American Dietetic Association, and WebMD have put together this list of 25 heart healthy foods. Google it for more info!

Salmon*
Flax Seed (Ground)
Oatmeal*
Black or Kidney Beans
Almonds
Walnuts
Red Wine
Tuna
Tofu*
Brown Rice
Soy Milk*
Blueberries*
Carrots
Spinach*
Broccoli
Sweet Potato
Red Bell Peppers
Asparagus
Oranges
Tomatoes
Acorn Squash
Cantelope
Papaya
Dark Chocolate
Green Tea

* experts say you should work these 5 power foods into your DAILY diet! Salmon, Soy Protein, Blueberries, Oatmeal and Spinach.

"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." Martin Luther King Jr.

This week we are honoring Martin Luther King Jr. While we know that his main message was equality, if you did a little deeper you will find that community building was a big part of it as well.

I choose to give to the community by volunteering and sitting on the board for the West Metro Miracle League. During the weeks that I have board meetings, I look forward to seeing my fellow board members and sharing what we have to bring to the meeting. In the weeks during our baseball season that I am a volunteer coach, nothing brings me more smiles and inspiration than seeing my team.

Wellness Wednesday Week 3: Share your heart. Start looking for an organization to volunteer with.  Check with your local school, church, community center, clinic, or even the vet to find your opportunity! If you really cannot find someway to give of yourself, then donated to your favorite charity or buy a bag of groceries for the local foodshelf. There's always a way to give!

Maybe you will only vounteer once, but maybe you will find something you love, like I did, and find that you want to be more involved.

For more information on volunteering. Check out volunteermatch.org or serve.gov for