Monday Morning Musing….

Written by: Debbie

This weekend I was invited to a fabulous luncheon. The hostess was expressing gratitude. The event was amazing, a collection of the most eclectic individuals, it was an honor to be included. The meal was divine, she had a “special guest” who provided intrigue and the gifts she gave were most amazing.

She gave me a book! Everyone surely knows at this point how I love books. (I sat and read it poolside yesterday.) Knowing my preoccupation with shoes, it was fun to receive a shoe magnet amongst the goodies as well. Mostly, it was the attitude of these divine individuals that I felt the most blessed by. The gratitude the hostess was sharing, became contagious. Everyone seemed to be sharing stories of gratitude in their lives, connecting, blessing.

All too often we use familiar thought patterns, going to the negative. We focus on what is wrong in our day, the situation, our lives. This moment was special. It was an opportunity to think about what is right in our lives, how we have been blessed. Blessed even by instances that seemed negative at first glance.

Take a moment and imagine right here, right now, what are the blessings in your life. If you are reading this, most likely, you have access to a world of information about any given subject. How awesome is that? Through the internet we have the ability to communicate with loved ones at a distance. My sister in law just left for mission work in Africa. I am certainly grateful for internet connections with her.

I enjoy going to this blog for reminders on how simple it is to stay in the moment and be grateful. Check out: Things I’m Grateful For

I am also grateful for my webmaster, friend. She reminds me that my blog is not supposed to take all of my time on a Monday, when there are other opportunities at hand. So, with gratitude, I leave you this thought: God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?” ~William A. Ward

Friday Silliness

Written by: Debbie

Yesterday, my good friend and colleague, The Transparent Hypnotist (Ellie Blunt) left a comment on my blog about the book I reviewed. She mentioned often being given books that require a dictionary, in order to read them. I can so relate to that, my oldest son often gives me books he believes I will enjoy and understand. (Perhaps it is just that he is hoping to raise his mom above the blonde IQ!) I have been enjoying The Owner’s Manuel For The Brain, however, I needed a teaching aid to help me visualize all the parts of the brain.

Well, today I have found it and want to share it with you.

I Will Live A Thousand Years

Written by: Debbie

Last Friday, my friend Mark Byrne (the Balloon Guy) loaned me a book he felt I might enjoy. I enjoy books, that is not a secret. I read voraciously, I love to read. However, I have books everywhere. I have a book on my nightstand that I am in the midst of, I have a book in my office I am part way through, I have another book where we watch television to read (just in case my husband puts sports, other than hockey on). I have a book in my car, you never know when you might get stuck somewhere and want to pass the time. So, really, another book to read? What is more, this book was a loan.

Loaners carry a few understood requirements with them. Number one, the book must be returned in good condition. (Especially one like this that was signed by the author.) The book must be returned in a timely fashion. Finally, the person who loans the book will expect an honest reaction t0 the book, so it must be read! Tomorrow morning, I see Mark again. Tomorrow morning I will return the book. At this moment, providing an unforeseen act of God or my dog, the book is in good condition. So, timely and good conditions are met.

I have to be honest, I was not sure how number three was going to go for me. Mark was so enthusiastic about the book and the author. I tend to be a bit more jaded in my views, I wasn’t sure I was going to agree. It is a self help/motivational book, as if I haven’t read a million of those in my line of work. The title didn’t grab me (my apologies to the author.)

When I return the book will I have a review to share with Mark? Did I complete the book? Will he like what I have to say about the book? Yes, yes and yes! I picked the book up on Saturday, read it straight through, finishing it Saturday night. I loved the book, have reviewed parts of it again through out the week and plan on ordering my own copy, as well as the companion “tools” that the author has created to go with the book.

I have delayed telling you the name and author long enough. The book is Live A Thousand Years and the author is Giovanni Livera. Livera managed to weave a tale that captivates the imagination while reminding you of the importance of measuring your life by moments and experiences rather than by clocks and calendars.

I often remind my clients while under hypnosis that time is a gift that only we can give ourselves. Often we squander time on unnecessary details or give away our time, leaving ourselves overwhelmed. In hypnosis, the concept of time becomes distorted. Many times a client will believe they have been with me for 10 minutes when it has actually been closer to two hours! This book reads that easily. I was truly mesmerized.

Give yourself the gift of time and the pleasure of the wisdom that Giovanni Livera has to share. Read his book, Live A Thousand Years and be ready to be inspired to make changes in your life.

Live A Thousand Years

No Excuses

Written by: Debbie

I often tell my sons, excuses only please the one who is making them. When we don’t live up to our responsibilities, it is time to take inventory of ourselves and figure out why. Are the expectations more than we are capable of or are we choosing to let life’s circumstances control us? Is it time, perhaps to re-group, reorganize or rethink our priorities?

This has been the case with me. I can give you a list as long as you like as to why I allowed myself to fall off the wagon when it comes to managing my weight and my health. The truth is, I did not treat myself and my body with the love and respect I deserve. I choose to let life get in the way. So, I am done with excuses and reasons. Only a few days into my resolve, I am already feeling better.

I have been juicing again, oh how I love fresh carrot, celery and whatever veggies I have on hand in a juice. I really do like the taste! (My youngest son thinks I am a bit daft for that, but he is a teenager.) I am following through with lots of water, slow eating and stopping when I am full. My body is responding with a very clear thank you! I am feeling more energetic, sleeping more soundly and even my clothes are more forgiving!

I am using my own audios to enhance my resolve. I enjoy the power that hypnosis gives me. What an awesome gift it is. I am motivating myself with self hypnosis to get out and move. It is feeling so much better to respect myself. Seems others respect me more when I do this as well. Isn’t it funny how that happens?

Monday Morning Musing….

Written by: Debbie

Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day here in Florida. Chamber of Commerce weather, even. So, my husband and I decided to take advantage of that and rode our bikes up to Innisbrook to lay by the pool. The ride was more difficult than I remembered. I wore a one piece swimsuit, poolside, black. I made sure our chairs were right next to the pregnant woman. All the signs were there, I was feeling uncomfortable.

Yes, I eat healthy foods. I eat slowly, placing the fork down between bites. I stop eating when my body signals it is full, not stuffed. I drink lots of water. Most of the time. Lately, not so much and now I was aware of that. It is time to get back to feeling as healthy and lean as possible. I feel better when I am following proper eating and exercise guidelines. I know that. Yet, I let it slide.

One recent morning I was out walking when a neighbor stopped me. He asked,”Why do you walk, aren’t you a hypnotist? I thought you would just imagine the weight away!” He was serious. If only it were that easy. Yes, hypnosis is a weight management tool in my arsenal, however, I follow the same guidelines I give my clients. Lately, I guess I thought I could get away without doing so and it has shown up on the hips!

So, I am listening to my audios again, reinforcing good habits. I am remembering to focus on health and being committed to myself, rather than on fat and loss. I forgive myself for past mistakes, moving forward, towards good health. I can’t change yesterday, I can only start from where I am right now.

Because of this awareness, I have decided to make it easier for anyone else who wants to make changes as the summer is approaching. I am offering my Lean, Healthy You audio at the discounted rate of $17.00. That is a savings of $6.77! This is available at my website for a limited time.

Join me, begin taking steps towards a healthier, happier you. When you begin your quest, drop me a note and let me know how you are progressing. We can share our victories and even our challenges. Let’s make this the summer of a Lean Healthy You!

Personal Justice

Written by: Debbie

I enjoyed yesterday’s post by P.W. and really appreciate her contribution. What she wrote encouraged more thoughts on my part about seemingly unjust situations that have occurred in my life. Even if I decide to let it go, do I really? Do I just move on, without another thought or do I harbor some ill feelings towards the other person?

I would love to tell you that St. Debbie, smiles, shines it on and all is forgiven in her perfect little world. I would also like to tell you that my home is as full of gold as Donald Trump’s. Neither of those statements represent the facts. However, I am working on both of them.

I will do my best in the moment to make the choice to remain calm and patient. I act “as if” the behavior is not offensive. Then, when the time is appropriate, I will take a quiet moment to think through the event. Removing emotions, just noticing what the events were, I can determine what the lesson in that moment was for me. Why did I allow it to bother me, was there something in me that owned the hurt at a deeper level? Was there a behavior I could change to prevent these types of things from happening again?

Imagine taking a negative moment and making it neutral. Then allow yourself to notice all the facts about it, just facts. Notice the lessons for yourself in that moment. Who would you be if those lessons were a part of your life? How would you change your behaviors? How might you feel differently? What would improve in your life if those changes occurred?

Think of someone you now who has the behaviors that you desire. Imagine them in the same circumstances. Allow that person to show you, in your imagination how to feel the same way, filled with strength and inner peace. Breathe in those feelings, really make them a part of your very core. Then relax. Go on about your day, looking forward to opportunities to be that strong, calm person that you deserve to be!

Just in case anyone is interested in helping me match the gold in my home to Donald Trump’s, email me and I will tell you where to send it!

And Justice for All

Written by: Debbie

I have had the fantastic privilege of meeting today’s guest blogger through a social networking site. This woman has a genuine quality about her that instantly shines through her. I was drawn to her gentle wisdom. I am honored she agreed to contribute today. So, without further ado, here is an article by P.W. Dowdy:

P.W. Dowdy found at Gather.com

Life possesses an in-built share of unfairness.

Someone blames us for a wrong we see ourselves incapable of committing. An unsuspecting attack by an officemate embarrasses us before peers. With a cavalier attitude, a neighbor dismisses frequent and unauthorized borrowing from our tool shed.

How dare Harry lay all the responsibility of raising the children on me and then blame me for their every mistake. Shelley should have pulled me aside and then pointed out the need to expand that section of the report. Who does she think she is, putting me down in front of the whole team? The Johnsons have moved borrowing to the next level. Couldn’t they occasionally ask first?

In the aftermath of offense, which one of us has not permitted such thinking to flood our mind? Still, it is one thing to have such thoughts, while quite another to act out their bidding.

Beyond becoming angry, beyond submerging ourselves in hurt, beyond getting even when someone wrongs us, are there other ways to arrive at fairness in such instances?

The answer to this question lies in that of another. What do we hope to achieve by redressing negative circumstances in the first place?

Is it our wish to make offenders angry as they have angered us? Do we desire to hurt as we have been hurt? Or, should the attitude be to displace their wrongdoings with responsible win-win resolutions?

When we chose the first two intents, we seek not justice but revenge. Revenge instigates greater anger, more hurt, and a host of swapped wrongs. Both motives seem hardly the breeding ground for establishing justice between two people at odds with each other.

Would we seek revenge had we not been hurt? Would we be hurt had we not been angered? Would we have become angry, had we possessed the objectivity that life’s highway has its share of inconvenient bumps?

So how do we learn to make allowances for those who offend us? How do we learn to move past the overreaction of getting even when unfairly treated? The pain of an injustice often makes a decision of patience easier suggested than accomplished. Hence, choosing to make allowances at the first sight of anger can become the best starting place.

The operative word here is choosing. Choosing the daily higher plane of making allowances for another’s inappropriateness frees us from wronging the offender in return. Choosing to respond instead with patience leaves us at peace with not only the offender—but with ourselves. The choice rarely comes easily but it is a doable choice, and its ensuing justice is well worth the effort.

Monday Morning Musing….

Written by: Debbie

It is wonderful when a weekend can be used for revitalization. That is just what this weekend was for me. Friday evening was pleasant and relaxed. Saturday, I spent time with a long time friend relaxing poolside at Innisbrook. We chatted about everything, if you are one of the people who had a chair besides us, I apologize for our constant chatter while you slept in the sun. (However, you must admit, we did solve all of the problems of the world in one afternoon!) Sunday was a surprise birthday party for a neighbor of mine.

The party was fabulous, everyone there really enjoyed themselves and the guest of honor was really surprised and delighted. I must digress a moment in order to tell you how she had tried to share her birthday news earlier. I live in a neighborhood where many residents own golf carts and weekends are spent riding from one house to another socializing. Well, my neighbor had been out on Saturday night with her boyfriend, visiting as they do, and would mention her birthday was coming up. One person after another seemed to answer with a brief, “oh that’s nice, well, happy birthday.” Then change conversation. You could sense her disappointment. Therefore, what fun to see her arrive to the yells of “SURPRISE!” as he children and grandchildren covered her in silly string!

During the course of the party, one gentleman was assisting a young mother in getting the children and all the contraband that goes with that, loaded into the car. The car door closed before he managed to save his pinky finger on one of his hands. He came back into the party looking ashen. He was clearly in pain. Someone got him a bag of ice and he began to ice the finger, but oh his pain! Although nothing was broken, he was gong to have quite a bruise. I asked him to begin to breathe deeply and slowly. He did. Then I asked him to close his eyes and begin to notice how cool the ice felt on his finger, how soothing that coolness felt. Then begin to focus on the amount of pain he had, give it a size in his mind. Next, begin to dissolve the size of the pain slowly, breaking it up and allowing the pain to become smaller and smaller as the coolness of the ice became more and more soothing. Now, he was to imagine the finger healing and restoring itself, sending signals of comfort to the finger and back to the brain. Relax, relax, allow this to be real, as real as is possible.

Suddenly his eyes popped open with a look of surprise. (I gulped.) He looked at me and said, “Hey, this really works! What you just did works! I feel better!” He laughed, I relaxed and everyone went on with the party.

Speaking of parties, I promised to post more about the Entrecard party today.

Three are 200+ possible winners, with a total value in prizes set at over $7000 and for the ECards users, exactly 66,666ec (”ec” = Entrecard Credits)!!!

This is how Marcus says you can enter to win:

Here is how to enter the party contest and belong to the lucky winners…

Subscribe to the Hochstadt.com Blog Announcement List (see the sign-up field in the top right hand corner of this page, right below my image? Yup, there it is.) Not only does it bring you 2 points but I may send you a cool gift when you do 🙂 – 2 Points
Post a comment to this blog post – 1 Point (one point per person)
Stumble and digg about this contest and fav me on Technorati – 1 Point respectively
Use the below party contest image(s) on your site (linking to this party contest) – 2 Points
Write about this blog and this Hochstadt.com Party Contest on your blog, linking to both this blog and the Hochstadt.com Party Contest. Use your own wording, one that fits to your audience. (It shall be easy because the above prizes fit to ALL audiences!) – 10 Points
Write about this blog and this contest on your blog, AND link to ALL contributors (just like you see my list above including all the prizes) – 30 Points
*PSSST* When you write about this contest on your blog it may be a good idea you indicate which of the above prizes you would like to win most. Perhaps Santa is listening and your wish comes true, who knows… 😉

Hint: Use the same e-mail address and Web site’s URL when performing the above contest actions. That way, I will be able to track your entries. 😉

Draw of the winners will be held on MAY 1st!

Go check it all out (remember I am giving away a phone consultation and 7 Living The Lucky Life Audios). http://www.hochstadt.com/its-the-hochstadtcom-party-contest

So friends, Party On!

Friday Silliness

Written by: Debbie

My goodness! That is all I can say her right now, is my goodness! It has been the day of all days in those little ways that can drive a hypnotist crazy. Thank heavens, I know a good hypnotist who can help me elevate my mood. What perfect timing for my Friday Silliness.

Perhaps you have noticed the little icon on my sidebar that showcases the blog of the day. It is related to a great little community of bloggers called Entrecard. I have made some great friends through this group. Unfortunately, at this moment, one of them is an endodontist from Canada who decided to pull me into the fray between himself and Canucklehead, another blogger from Canada. (Too many knocks in the head from stray hockey pucks, I’m guessing.) They will be the recipients of my years of experience in the revenge method of parenting!

Bottom line, to you my readers, I have been asked to participate in something called a meme. When I get this crud in emails, I generally delete them. Unless, of course, it is sent from my mother. Then I answer it as sarcastically, using as much gutter talk as is possible. She is delighted, thinking her daughter has sent another loving note from the heart.

The rules of this garbage are as follows:

The Rules:

Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’ve been tagged, and to read your blog.

Here is my response to this:

8 Random Facts About Me

1. I believe I am responsible for the collapse of the Skyway Bridge on May 9, 1980.
Allow me to explain: The year before I survived a flood on May 8th. (mentioned in my blog yesterday.) I held my first annual flood party on May 8 1980. Amongst the silly activities, we held a rain dance. It worked, Summit Venture hit the Skyway, I stopped rain dancing for the rest of my life.

2. My favorite film is Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. This is my favorite scene from the film:

3. I love to read so much that my husband will hide books before a party, so that I don’t sneak them in and hide in a corner during the party to finish just one more chapter.

4. I once stood actually speechless in an elevator because I was the only person in it with Stevie Nicks. I couldn’t think of anything to say, not even hello.

5. I haven’t eaten meat since the 70’s based on a twenty dollar bet. When B. Fussell pays up, I will eat meat again.

6. I once held the title of Miss Coppertone.
No, I am not the kid with her bottom exposed by a dog.

7. I hate shopping so much that when I married, I registered at only one store much to the chagrin of my new in-laws. The store was Home Depot.

8. I had an attack rooster as a pet when I was growing up. He wouldn’t let anyone in the back yard except me or unless they were accompanied by me (or Mom).

According to the rules, I am supposed to tag 8 people. Sorry folks, I won’t play there. Call me a party pooper, I don’t send emails that promise big bucks from Bill Gates either. I will tell you, I list blogs that I like, as I view them and I will continue to do so. Furthermore, I have been invited to join in on a blog party that includes some pretty cool gifts. For more information on that, visit:

It’s The Hochstadt.com Party Contest!

There are some pretty cool give aways, including a free phone session from yours truly! I will write more about that next blog, until then, happy Friday!

Gratitude

Written by: Debbie

I want to take a moment to remind you how important gratitude is. It is another way to change that old stinking thinking, when things seem to be difficult. A client stopped by my office with a beautiful orchid and a dragonfly statue as her way of saying thank you. I felt humbled and thanked her for her thoughtfulness. I received an invitation in the mail today for a special luncheon, ladies only, a time to share our gratitude for our blessings. The hostess holds these luncheons each year to express her gratitude to the women in her life who she feels thankful for. My dear friend and web lady took me out for lunch today, sushi! (She knows how to get to my heart.)

It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of our days. Even more so, to hold a pity party for ourselves when things don’t seem to be going according to plan. But, if we take a moment to reflect on what is good in our lives, often it is far more than what is wrong. In fact, given time, there are negatives that turn into positives.

I lived through a flood that destroyed the apartment complex I was living in at the time. Many of the residents were deaf, so my sign language came in handy. It also meant that we were the last people to be evacuated. We floated out in boats next to alligators and water moccasins, riding above our cars on the water. It could/should have been devastating. Or so I was told. However, out of that situation I was able to live rent free for the few months I needed to get a down payment on my first home! The apartment complex was insured and they have rehabilitated into a much nicer complex.

I am grateful for my sons, my husband and even my first husband! (Number one has been a great father to the boys and a super Ex! He pays child support on time, in full and throws extras the kids way!) My current husband dances with shopping carts in the grocery store and makes me laugh until I have tears rolling down my cheeks. I am grateful that my parents are still alive and they live near by enough to see us frequently, far enough to not be under foot! (I bet I catch it for that one!) The list goes on, but, my time is limited, as I am back off to my office.

Take a moment and reflect on your life. What are you grateful for? Please leave a comment or two and share. Perhaps we will all begin to see what is right in our lives.

p.s. I just got back from my office. My last client of the day has recently returned from a trip to her native India. She brought me the most beautiful hand made purse from there. I’m really liking this gratitude stuff!

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Draw of the winners will be held on MAY 1st!