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Barbara Scoville, LCSW

~ Pioneers of Peace™

Barbara Scoville, LCSW

Monthly Archives: April 2013

Weekly Wellness Check-in

29 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Life Mastery Skills, Resilience, Wellness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Mental health, positive mental health, Quality of life, Weekly Wellness Check-in, wellness

dragonfly_green

saying-no

Indicator# 16

I am able to say no when I don’t want to do something

“Weekly Wellness Check-in” is an ongoing weekly post appearing on Mondays, in which I  present one indicator from a checklist of positive mental health attributes. Take a look at the indicator and think about how it applies to you, keeping in mind it is an important factor of well-being. We all excel at some things, and need to work on others. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10; One, meaning I am a failure at this, and ten, meaning I have no room for improvement. Nobody may record a 1 or a 10 because there are no failures, and nobody is perfect.  If you are happy with where you placed yourself, consider the indicator a strength.  If you aren’t, think about a “realistic” place you would like to get to and how you might carry it out. My hope is that you will give it some gentle thought. I’d love to hear your tips on how to make each a strength in the comment section.

Previous weeks…

Indicator #1  I get a good night’s sleep so I feel healthy and alert

Indicator #2  I eat healthy foods to promote health and well being

Indicator #3  I exercise regularly

Indicator #4  I avoid mood altering substances (unless taken as prescribed).

Indicator #5  I make time each week to engage in activities that give me pleasure

Indicator #6  I have friends and family that I can talk to whenever I need a sense of connectedness

Indicator #7  I live in a home that feels safe and nurturing

Indicator #8  I actively seek solutions for the complaints I have regarding my life, work, and school
Indicator #9  I know how to forgive myself and others who have hurt me in the past

Indicator #10  I let go of guilt for my past mistakes

Indicator #11  I have enough money, time, friends, space, love, fun, and affection

Indicator #12  I take action based out of love rather than fear

Indicator #13  I am part of a community that gives me a sense of purpose

Indicator #14  I live a life based on choice and meaning

Indicator #15  I am able to ask others for what I need

Wellness

Wellness

 

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EXTRA!!! EXTRA!!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!! The Answer to The Red Cup Post and Why You Should Care

28 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Pioneers of Peace, Resilience

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Biafra, current-events, Human Rights, Humanitarian Programs, Hunger, Pioneers of Peace, WFP, World Food Programme, World Hunger



“One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong, can you tell which thing is not like the others by the time I finish my song?

wfp154695

Did you guess which thing was not like the others? Did you guess which thing just doesn’t belong? If you guessed this one is not like the others, then you’re absolutely…right!”   Sesame Street

All six cups are red.

All are containers.

Five hold drinks.

One is a Pioneer of Peace.

How Can a Red Cup Be a Pioneer of Peace You Ask?

images

It’s simple but elegant. The Red Cup and its army of clones feed 20 million children in the poorest regions of the world. It is both the vessel and symbol for The United Nations World Food Program’s (WFP), Fill the Cup Campaign, created to raise awareness and funds for 59 million children who are suffering from hunger.

 “The campaign slogan and logo are based on the millions of plastic cups that WFP uses to handout porridge or other food rations to millions of school children around the world.” http://www.wfp.org/node/7863

Kudos to the Red Cup because according to WFP…

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– It feeds on average 20 million children a day

– It serves in 70 developing countries

– It promotes education by providing food at school

– It encourages girls to receive an education, preventing early marriage and pregnancy

– It provides all the daily essential nutrients to maintain health in one, 25 cent serving

– It provides relief and hope to both parents and children

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It was 1969, and the awards night for our Annual  6th Grade Science Fair.  I didn’t want to go to the event, but my parents informed me we WERE going. To this day I don’t think they knew in advance that I had won first prize, because when we arrived and saw the blue ribbon hanging on my simple red poster we were all speechless.

Earlier that morning my fellow classmates and I submitted our entries to be viewed and voted on throughout the day by students, teachers, and other so called important people. There were elaborate electronic contraptions, the most impressive being projects that obviously had a lot of parental collaboration.

My mother helped me with mine, but it was very simple. I’m not exactly a left brained person so I struggled with what on earth my science project could be. Did I mention it was mandatory?

Biafra was all over the headlines in 1969, so it was no surprise that one afternoon while walking through the kitchen, I spotted a Life magazine sitting on the counter featuring a photo of starving children. That moment my inner social worker roared to the surface, and I made the decision to risk ridicule and write a report on world hunger, highlighting Biafra.

lifebiafawar

A report and a red poster featuring a paper doll, collaged from newspaper photos depicting victims of hunger became my entry. Thinking about it now; it must have looked malnourished itself, hidden behind the elaborate electronic contraptions, mini green houses, and models of how the body works.

Last night while writing this post, I decided to see what happened to Biafra, and found out it had lost it’s independence, and is once again part of Nigeria.

Strangely after googling it, an article called “Who Cares About Biafra Anyway?” written by The Harvard Crimson, came up on the search page.

The weird thing was, it was dated February 25, 1969. Well that’s odd, I thought. How bizarre to happen upon an article written in the same year I did my science project. I began reading it with great interest and the first paragraph brought back childhood emotional memories, reminding me of why I chose Biafra for my project.

Between Aug 1968 and Feb 1969, one million, YES, one million people starved to death in Biafra.  The article went on stating, at that time there were five thousand Harvard grad students. If each student died 200 times, it would equal a million.

I am grateful for an elementary school that was brave enough to take a stand, by recognizing the atrocity of world hunger over other fancy science projects. I’m guessing the school administration had to deal with many disgruntled parents.

Re-creation of my 6th grade science project

Re-creation of my 6th grade science project

7 Facts From The Hunger Project 

1.    870 million people do not have enough food to eat

2.    98% of the worlds undernourished people live in developing countries

Starving Children in North Korea

3.    Asia and the Pacific have the highest number of hungry comprising 578 million people, followed by Sub-Saharan Africa with 239 million people, and then Latin America and the Caribbean with 53 million people

4.    60% of the worlds hungry are women

5.    Malnutrition is the key factor contributing to one-third of all global deaths (2.6 million per year).

6.    Every 5 seconds, a child dies from hunger related diseases

7.    There is enough food in the world today for everyone to have the nourishment necessary for a healthy and productive life

5 Reasons Why You Should Care

1.    Because basic nutrition is identified under Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as an integral right of every human being

2.    Because hunger is the number one global risk to health, killing more annually than malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis combined

3.    Because solving chronic hunger creates peace and stability in the world

4.    Because the suffering of men, women and children is unacceptable

5.    Because there IS enough food, yet people are not receiving it

7 Ways to Show You Care

1.   Be in the Know and inform others. Go to http://www.wfp.org to learn the facts

2.    Express genuine gratitude for what you have

3.    Don’t Be Wasteful. One of the main reasons people are not getting food is that it spoils before it even arrives. Think about that the next time you’re cleaning out your fridge.

4.    Live Simply, So Others Might Simply Live  -Gandhi  Be satisfied with what is sufficient for your needs, freeing up resources for others.

5.    Be Mindful. Be awake, slow down, see what is real.  Eat you’re own food slowly, appreciating it’s life sustaining purpose

6.    Claim Your Inner Pioneer of Peace. Stand up for what your heart knows is right. The true mark of a resilient person is the recognition of suffering and the desire to heal

7.    Give. Share your abundance with others. Play Free Rice, the worlds only vocabulary game that feeds the hungry. http://www.freerice.com  Check it out. It’s a good addictionPlay Freerice and feed the hungryShare food, change livesTest Your Hunger IQ

 We Are Global Citizens:

Have you ever pondered your role as a citizen of the world? Like it or not, as human beings we share this planet and it’s resources. We truly are all connected. Many question why there is such a disparity between the haves and the have nots, and of course there are answers; but none is acceptable.

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Lead by Eleanor Roosevelt, on December 10, 1948, The United Nations General Assembly signed The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. The following countries voted in favor of the declaration

  • Afghanistan
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burma
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Republic of China
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Denmark
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • France
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • India
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Lebanon
  • Liberia
  • Pakistan
  • Romania
  • Greece
  • Iceland
  • Luxembourg
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Sweden
  • Syria
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Venezuela

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights

SHOCKING ISN”T IT? Many of the countries listed above are shamefully the worst offenders. Clearly, governments are not taking adequate responsibility for their citizens.  As global citizens, what is our responsibility? Each person must answer that question for themselves. What are you thoughts? Please share what you think by pressing the comment button but first…

Take 17 minutes to watch the Ted Talk below that changed my life.

I really mean it! It changed my life!

Where can I get a red cup?

No, I REALLY MEAN IT; WHERE CAN I GET A RED CUP?

 

I will be taking a break from my weekend posts for the next couple of weeks, while I try my hand at guest blogging. I will continue to post Weekly Wellness Check-in on Mondays, and Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom on Wednesdays. If you like what you have read please share it with your friends and follow me by pressing the follow button at the top of the page. Thanks everyone for helping me build my audience.

Until next time, Shine On 🙂

Barbara

Related articles
  • 361. Food is a Human Right | Equal Money (marlenvargasdelrazo.wordpress.com)
  • Halle Berry joins Michael Kors to help fight world hunger #watchhungerstop (girlyandthecity.wordpress.com)

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Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

25 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Quotes, Resilience

≈ 1 Comment

images

Hold fast to dreams,

for when dreams die,

life is a broken winged bird

that cannot fly.

-Langston Hughs

P.S. Don’t forget to vote yes or no on Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. This weekend I will fill you in. Thanks :-)

wfp154695

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Weekly Wellness Check-in

23 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Life Mastery Skills, Resilience, Wellness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Mental health, Quality of life

dragonfly_green

ask-more

Indicator #15

I am able to ask others for what I need

“Weekly Wellness Check-in” is an ongoing weekly post appearing on Mondays, in which I  present one indicator from a checklist of positive mental health attributes. Take a look at the indicator and think about how it applies to you, keeping in mind it is an important factor of well-being. We all excel at some things, and need to work on others. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10; One, meaning I am a failure at this, and ten, meaning I have no room for improvement. Nobody may record a 1 or a 10 because there are no failures, and nobody is perfect.  If you are happy with where you placed yourself, consider the indicator a strength.  If you aren’t, think about a “realistic” place you would like to get to and how you might carry it out. My hope is that you will give it some gentle thought. I’d love to hear your tips on how to make each a strength in the comment section.

Previous weeks…

Indicator #1  I get a good night’s sleep so I feel healthy and alert

Indicator #2  I eat healthy foods to promote health and well being

Indicator #3  I exercise regularly

Indicator #4  I avoid mood altering substances (unless taken as prescribed).

Indicator #5  I make time each week to engage in activities that give me pleasure

Indicator #6  I have friends and family that I can talk to whenever I need a sense of connectedness

Indicator #7  I live in a home that feels safe and nurturing

Indicator #8  I actively seek solutions for the complaints I have regarding my life, work, and school
Indicator #9  I know how to forgive myself and others who have hurt me in the past

Indicator #10  I let go of guilt for my past mistakes

Indicator #11  I have enough money, time, friends, space, love, fun, and affection

Indicator #12  I take action based out of love rather than fear

Indicator #13  I am part of a community that gives me a sense of purpose

Indicator #14  I live a life based on choice and meaning

Wellness

Wellness

P.S. Don’t forget to vote yes or no on Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. This weekend I will fill you in. Thanks :-)

wfp154695

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Energy Sucker #3: Perfectly Stuck

20 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Life Mastery Skills, Resilience, The Power to Do

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Being Perfect, Mental health, Perfectionism, Procrastination, Self-esteem, Wabi Sabi

the-world_s-top-10-best-images-of-animals-with-their-heads-stuck-10

“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfection. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make yourself a happier and more productive person.” Dr. David M. Burns

In this post I’m going to address perfectionism as another barrier… or shall we say Energy Sucker to motivation, and give you a Liberation Plan to overcome this pernicious oppressor.

When you hear the word “perfectionism” what do you think? There are two different pictures that come to my mind.

One is of people taking their time and doing quality work. Whether it’s writing a novel, cleaning a bathroom, or building a shed, they always do their best.

The other picture is quite different. I see someone agonizing over a homework assignment, staying up all hours of the night fearing they are not doing enough; or a mother tossing and turning in bed, beating herself up for what she wasn’t able to accomplish that day (even though what she did accomplish was superhuman).

What it is perfectionism?

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To be blunt, it is an illusion. Nothing can be perfect. Every perfectionist knows there is no limit to improving upon what they’re doing. Frustration always accompanies perfectionism when time runs out and the task isn’t yet up to their standards. They think, If I just had more time, I could make it perfect; but the truth is, perfectionists set standards so high, either they can not be met, or they are met with a very high price. Perfectionists believe anything less than perfection is unacceptable, fearing flaws would expose their unworthiness or weakness.

Perfectionists…

Have unrealistically high expectations and standards

Believe nothing short of perfection is acceptable

Get the blues when they experience failure and disappointment

Fear failure and disapproval

See mistakes as evidence of weakness

Become overly defensive when criticized

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All of these things drain energy and are motivation saboteurs 😦 😦

 Perfectionism is Not…

 Self Worth.

While doing things well provides a sense of healthy accomplishment and self worth, insisting on perfection causes a sense of unworthiness. Every perfectionist believes there is no such thing as enough, so the result is always a feeling of I could’ve done better or more, resulting in a sense of unworthiness and low self-esteem.

Virtue

Insisting on perfection is not a virtue. It is an immediate set up for manifesting a sense of unworthiness by making demands that are impossible to meet. If you try to impose your perfectionism on others, you will experience disillusionment with humanity, missing out on much of the beauty of our rich but imperfect world. Perfectionism doesn’t sound like a virtue to me. It sounds like an abusive partner making unreasonable demands and then calling you derogatory names when those demands aren’t met.  “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life…” Ann Lamott

 …Working For You. There is a paradox in perfectionism and it goes like this. The more you try to be perfect, the more imperfect you become. Because the very nature of perfection is not possible, (obtaining it is always 1-10 steps beyond your reach) a sense of not being enough or unworthiness settles in, often paralyzing you from moving forward.  It’s confusing when somebody identifies herself as a perfectionist, but has an incredibly messy house. What you are seeing is the dark side of perfectionism in full swing. If the house cannot be cleaned perfectly, it won’t be cleaned at all.

Confession:  I’m embarrassed to share this with you but in the interest of helping I’m going to come clean.

scaredA couple of years ago, I applied to teach a summer class at the local university. I was accepted and for the first week I was elated.

After the excitement wore off, reality set in. “Oh my gosh! If I don’t do a perfect job I will be judged as incompetent! Everybody will know I’m not an expert and I will live the rest of my life in disgrace. I’d better do a perfect job and deliver a world-class lesson that people will rave about.”

I began to prepare for the class but with each step I took, I questioned myself and determined I wasn’t good enough. I kept trying, but the anxiety and sense of unworthiness built up to the point that I became paralyzed.

At the time I was caring for my mother who was terminally ill. In the middle of it all she took a drastic turn for the worse, which I felt was sufficient justification for withdrawing my application to teach. Everyone was very kind and supportive and let me off the hook.

I remember feeling like I made the right decision to withdraw, but am haunted to this day with the thought that the real reason I backed out was because of my perfectionism and feelings of unworthiness.

Last week I pulled out my course outline and reviewed it. Here’s the kicker. It was so good I couldn’t believe I wrote it, and I was painfully faced with how destructive perfectionism is.

     Perfectionism causes:

Difficulty living up to your own expectations

Feelings of frustration, depression, anxiety, and anger while trying to meet your standards

Procrastination

Difficulty trusting others

Avoiding anything spontaneous for fear of doing it wrong

Excessive checking

Constantly trying to improve things by redoing them

Agonizing over minutia

Making exhaustive to-do lists

Avoiding trying new things

Can you see how much energy this all takes and how it impacts motivation?

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My Friend, if you give up the illusion of perfectionism and it’s evil twin unworthiness, room for motivation will open up.

Consider how much space you are allowing perfectionism to take up in your head. There was a time when my mind housed a penthouse apartment occupied by perfectionism.

Now think about how much space would open up if you evicted perfectionism.

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You would be free to create without judgment

You would be more fun to be around because your sense of unworthiness would not be bleeding out of your pours

You would accomplish more because you would work without fear of being or doing wrong

Anger and frustration would leave because you wouldn’t be constantly attacking your sense of self worth

You would trust others more because you would abandon your fears of being judged and not see them as potential hostile criticizers

You would be a better friend and parent by not expecting perfection in others

 Suffering is Optional; there is a better way.

freedomLiberation Plan:

1. Simplify

Identify what’s most important to you and clear the deck by eliminating or downsizing everything else.

2.  Set Realistic Expectations

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Part of perfectionism is wanting to do it all. Don’t be greedy by taking on more than you can handle, even if what you want to do is good. We all have 24 hours in a day and at least 8 of those should be spent sleeping.

3. Stop Making Comparisons

Comparing yourself to others is one of the most discouraging things you can do. We often look at people from a one- dimensional perspective, not taking into consideration what is happening in the rest of their lives. Visiting someone’s home that is spotless and well decorated may create a feeling of despair when you go back to your own home. What you don’t know is what their upstairs looks like. We often put others on pedestals thinking they are so much better or smarter then ourselves. We are all people and no one is better than another. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

4. Understand the Real Source of Self Worth

While its nice to receive compliments for excellent work, our individual worth should not be dependent on them. After all, basing our self worth on others is “other worth” not self worth. Self worth should be dependent on the state of our own hearts, how much we love and show compassion, and if we are doing our best, which is not an unobtainable idealized goal.

5. Cultivate Healthy Striving

It’s good to work hard and do a good job. It is also good to continually push yourself to a reasonable degree beyond your limits. Healthy striving as opposed to perfectionism is always working to improve, but stopping short of expecting perfection. At night you should be able to identify what you have accomplished, and be content knowing tomorrow is another day.

6. Be Mindful and Take Things One Step at a Time

Being mindful means staying in the here and now. It is remaining non-judgmental and focused on whatever it is you’re doing. Slow down, take a breath, and do one thing at a time. If you are doing the dishes, do the dishes. If you are writing a paper, write the paper, if you are playing with your children, play with your children. Don’t pay attention to the chatter going on in your head telling you, you should be working faster and doing more. When the chatter breaks through your attention, gently return your mind to the task at hand.

7. Cultivate an Appreciation for Wabi Sabi (My favorite :-))

“Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist’s true friend”  Anne Lamott

A work of Wabi Sabi art that hangs beautifully in it's imperfection in my office

A work of Wabi Sabi art that hangs beautifully in it’s imperfection in my office

Wabi Sabi is the Japanese art of impermanence and imperfection. It values flaws as an expression of humanity and is as a result, beautiful.

Maven Momma writes: http://madamemaven.blogspot.com/2009/03/design-wabi-sabi-mommi.html

…Then I remembered the Japanese philosophy I love most of all: Wabi Sabi. I am too       much a Westerner to explain the concept accurately, but I will sum it up like this: Its roots in Zen Buddhism, wabi sabi is about the perfection of impermanence and imperfection.

…The moment I started to remember wabi sabi, I began to love the beautiful chaos of motherhood.

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Ring the bells that still can ring,

Forget your perfect offering.

There’s a hole in everything,

That’s how the light comes thru.

Leonard Cohen (“Ring the Bells That Still Can Ring”)

 So my friend, using at least one of the 7 tips from my Liberation Plan, I challenge you to

Free Yourself From the Tyranny of Perfectionism and Unlock the Oppressive Chains Cramping Your Motivation

Share with our community of reader challenges you have had with perfectionism and the tips you use to get un-stuck. We’re all in this together. Until next time, have a great week.

Shine on 🙂

Barbara

P.S. Don’t forget to vote yes or no on Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. Next week I will fill you in.

                                                            Thanks :-)

wfp154695

 

 Related articles

  • How to Overcome Perfectionism (magnusentblog.wordpress.com)
  • Overcome Perfectionism; Perfect Does Not Exist (therealsupermumblog.com)

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Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

images

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.

Audrey Hepburn

P.S. Don’t forget to vote yes or no on Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. In two weeks I will fill you in.

Thanks 🙂

wfp154695

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Weekly Wellness Check-in

15 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

dragonfly_green

images

images

Indicator #14

I live a life based on choice and meaning

“Weekly Wellness Check-in” is an ongoing weekly post appearing on Mondays, in which I  present one indicator from a checklist of positive mental health attributes. Take a look at the indicator and think about how it applies to you, keeping in mind it is an important factor of well-being. We all excel at some things, and need to work on others. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10; One, meaning I am a failure at this, and ten, meaning I have no room for improvement. Nobody may record a 1 or a 10 because there are no failures, and nobody is perfect.  If you are happy with where you placed yourself, consider the indicator a strength.  If you aren’t, think about a “realistic” place you would like to get to and how you might carry it out. My hope is that you will give it some gentle thought. I’d love to hear your tips on how to make each a strength in the comment section.

Previous weeks…

Indicator #1  I get a good night’s sleep so I feel healthy and alert

Indicator #2  I eat healthy foods to promote health and well being

Indicator #3  I exercise regularly

Indicator #4  I avoid mood altering substances (unless taken as prescribed).

Indicator #5  I make time each week to engage in activities that give me pleasure

Indicator #6  I have friends and family that I can talk to whenever I need a sense of connectedness

Indicator #7  I live in a home that feels safe and nurturing

Indicator #8  I actively seek solutions for the complaints I have regarding my life, work, and school
Indicator #9  I know how to forgive myself and others who have hurt me in the past

Indicator #10  I let go of guilt for my past mistakes

Indicator #11  I have enough money, time, friends, space, love, fun, and affection

Indicator #12  I take action based out of love rather than fear

Indicator #13  I am part of a community that gives me a sense of purpose

Wellness

Wellness

P.S. Don’t forget to vote yes or no on Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. In two weeks I will fill you in. Thanks 🙂

wfp154695

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How to Stop Urgent Eating: My Secret Weapon

14 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Life Mastery Skills, Recipes, The Power to Do, Wellness

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Dieting, Healthy Eating Plan, Urgent Eating

images

Have you ever made a commitment to healthy eating and then accidentally left your lunch at home, had a crazy busy day, or been attacked by low blood sugar… completely overturning your best intentions? Unless you have a will of steel it can truly be discouraging, weakening your resolve to take responsibility for your health.

Susan shared this…

A couple of weeks ago I committed to a “New Philosophy of Life.” I really wanted to be the healthiest me I could be, so I joined My Fitness Pal, designed a diet with mostly plant based foods, and determined to go swimming three times a week. I also made the decision to be more mindful in everything I do, including eating.

Well… everything was going great until I went on vacation. Don’t get me wrong, she said, I was really careful even on vacation, but when I got home everything fell apart. I hadn’t remembered to go grocery shopping before I left, so when I got home there wasn’t any food in the house. On top of that, we got home late, so I didn’t get enough sleep before I went to work, and I didn’t have any clean laundry.

She continued …anyway, my downfall began with stopping at McDonalds for an Egg McMuffin (not too bad). I was so tired I drank 2 Diet Cokes to perk myself up (bad) and ate orange chicken and chow mien for lunch at Panda Express (really bad). On my way home from work I felt my blood sugar plummet and began to panic (that’s what low blood sugar does to me), so I stopped at a gas station and bought the biggest bag of peanut M&M’s I could find. I inhaled them all before I could even taste one (really, really bad). Before I knew it, a week had gone by and I hadn’t given any thought to my “New Philosophy of Life.” By then I had second thoughts about trying again. Sigh…

Does this sound familiar to you?  It sure does to me.

I’m not going to tell you how to get more sleep or do your laundry, but…

I am going to give you 3 Tips for dealing with Urgent Eating. Jen Meister, in her blog, Simple – Clean – Whole, coined the term Urgent Eating, which describes exactly what Susan was talking about. Urgent Eating is eating out of urgency as well as convenience. Check out her post at: http://www.simplecleandandwhole.com

3 Tips to Stop Urgent Eating

prepare

1. Prepare:

In Jen’s post she wisely states, Preparation is your Insurance Policy for your Health and Well being…

Any sound plan for positive change requires preparation for success, including consideration of the obstacles in advance.

  • Make a list of 5 potential situations that would be your perfect storm for falling off the wagon
  • Rank them in order of highest risk to lowest risk
  • Take a look at your list and identify which situations occur most often

After your analysis you will have the information you need to….

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2. Write an Urgent Eating Plan:

  • For each situation you listed above, write at least one strategy for avoiding or managing the situation.

Example:

Situation:  After a long day at work I’m tired and grouchy. I haven’t had anything to eat since noon and it is now almost 6:00. I am hungry and know I won’t be eating dinner for at least an hour, considering I still have to make dinner. I start feeling sorry for myself and think that eating something sweet would not only taste good and fill the hole in my stomach, but be comforting after working so hard all day.

Strategies:

  • Drink water throughout the day to create a sense of fullness. Add a lemon wedge to the water to make it taste, look, and feel, good.
  • Eat a small snack around 3:00 i.e. 100 calorie yogurt or a handful of almonds.
  • Listen to my favorite music or an audiobook on the drive home to distract myself and have fun.
  • Have healthy portion controlled snacks available for the drive home.

IMG_4618

3. Have Plenty of Healthy Non-Perishable Snacks (NPS) on Hand

  • Always have a collection of NPS at home and work.
  • For food emergencies keep 2 NPS in your purse or briefcase at all times.
  • Always replace your emergency supply.
  • When tempted to eat something unhealthy, quickly eat a NPS.

 Let’s Review

1. Prepare

2. Write an Urgent Eating Plan

3. Have Plenty of NPS on Hand

Remember…

failing-to-plan-is-planning-to-fail SO DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND PLAN IN ADVANCE FOR URGENT EATING CRISES. IT’S A CRUCIAL ELEMENT TO SUCCESS 🙂 🙂 🙂

Image 2

Now for my secret weapon or should I say R-E-C-I-P-E?  

A couple of years ago, Urgent Eating was my middle name. Fueled by the energy of frustration, I created this winning recipe to protect myself from those inevitable perfect storm situations. It’s been my weapon ever since.

The trick is to make a big batch of this tasty concoction and divide it into portion controlled serving sizes in advance. No need for guesswork in crisis situations ever again. 

Image 6

 Secret Weapon Trail Mix

2 cups raw almonds

2 cups raw cashews

2 cups shelled pistachios

2 cups 60% Cacao chocolate chips

2 cups golden raisins

1 cup Craisins

1 cup dried cherries

Put all ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. For individual on-the-go servings, measure 1/4 cup of mix per snack sized ziplock bag.

Add this to your arsenal and keep on moving forward 🙂

Do you have perfect storm, urgent eating situations? What most  likely will make you cave? Have you found any solutions you would be willing to share with our community of readers? We would love to hear from you.

Until next time, have a great week and…

Shine on 🙂

Barbara

P.S. Don’t forget to vote yes or no on Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. In two weeks I will fill you in. Thanks 🙂

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Related articles

  • Bad Eating Habits Can Be Broken (everydayfamily.com)

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Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

10 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Mindfulness, Quotes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Mindfulness, Peace, Thich Nhat Hanh

IMG_0527“Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.”

Thich-Nhat-Hanh

 Don’t forget to vote yes or no on the Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post.

Thanks 🙂

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Weekly Wellness Check-in

08 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by Barbara Scoville, LCSW in Life Mastery Skills, Resilience, Wellness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Community, Mental health, wellness

dragonfly_green

images

Indicator #13

I am part of a community that gives me a sense of purpose

“Weekly Wellness Check-in” is an ongoing weekly post appearing on Mondays, in which I  present one indicator from a checklist of positive mental health attributes. Take a look at the indicator and think about how it applies to you, keeping in mind it is an important factor of well-being. We all excel at some things, and need to work on others. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10; One, meaning I am a failure at this, and ten, meaning I have no room for improvement. Nobody may record a 1 or a 10 because there are no failures, and nobody is perfect.  If you are happy with where you placed yourself, consider the indicator a strength.  If you aren’t, think about a “realistic” place you would like to get to and how you might carry it out. My hope is that you will give it some gentle thought. I’d love to hear your tips on how to make each a strength in the comment section.

Previous weeks…

Indicator #1  I get a good night’s sleep so I feel healthy and alert

Indicator #2  I eat healthy foods to promote health and well being

Indicator #3  I exercise regularly

Indicator #4  I avoid mood altering substances (unless taken as prescribed).

Indicator #5  I make time each week to engage in activities that give me pleasure

Indicator #6  I have friends and family that I can talk to whenever I need a sense of connectedness

Indicator #7  I live in a home that feels safe and nurturing

Indicator #8  I actively seek solutions for the complaints I have regarding my life, work, and school
Indicator #9  I know how to forgive myself and others who have hurt me in the past

Indicator #10  I let go of guilt for my past mistakes

Indicator #11  I have enough money, time, friends, space, love, fun, and affection

Indicator #12  I take action based out of love rather than fear

Wellness

Wellness

Don’t forget to vote yes or no on the  post Pioneers of Peace: Red Cup post. Thanks 🙂

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